Read Proverbs 18
I read Proverbs 18 from the New Living Translation, Amplified Classic, and Message Translation.
My thoughts on Proverbs 18:
To have no interest in understanding, and wanting to only air your own opinions is the behavior of fools. Fool - kᵉçîyl, properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly:—fool(-ish). (Strongs 3684) Biblical use of fool - fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one (Strong's 3684) Based on what the Word of God says, it is wisdom to try to understand others. We don't have to agree with them but we do have to respect their feelings.
Wise words flow like a spring filled with skillful godly wisdom. It's sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving.
Fools' words get them into quarrels, which can lead to beatings. Their words are their ruin and trap.
Avoid listening to, or starting, rumors. They impact your heart. I have to wonder; how can we tell people about the love of Jesus when we're not walking in love and even destroying others with the words we speak.
God is our fortress, our strong tower. We can run to Him and we are safe. Strong - ʻôz, strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise):—boldness, loud, might, power, strength, strong (Strong's H5797) Safe - sâgab, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong; used literally and figuratively:—defend, exalt, be excellent, (be, set on) high, lofty, be safe, set up (on high), be too strong (Strong's H7682)
Being haughty leads to destruction. Humility leads to honor. Haughty - Proud and disdainful; having a high opinion of one's self, with some contempt for others; lofty and arrogant; supercilious (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary) Destruction - sheber, a fracture, figuratively, ruin; specifically, a solution (of a dream):—affliction, breach, breaking, broken (-footed, -handed), bruise, crashing, destruction, hurt, interpretation, vexation (Strong's H7667) Humility - ʻănâvâh, condescension, human and subjective (modesty), or divine and objective (clemency):—gentleness, humility, meekness (Strong's H6038)
Answering a matter before listening to the facts is foolish, folly and a shame. Folly -ʼivveleth, silliness:—folly, foolishly(-ness). (Strong's H200) Shame - kᵉlimmâh, disgrace:—confusion, dishonor, reproach, shame. (Strong's H200) We must listen to hear and not to answer. Listen - To hearken; to give ear; to attend closely with a view to hear (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary)
Keep getting knowledge, seek and crave it, listen to it. Knowledge - knowledge, perception, skill, discernment, understanding, wisdom (Biblical Usage from Strong's H1847)
Our words set the course of our lives. What we say impacts lives.
Words are powerful, both creative and destructive. It all depends on how you use them. Words are seed and they will produce a harvest. What kind of harvest depends on what you've said. We must ask ourselves whether we are creating or destroying life in ourselves and others by the words we speak.
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and received favor from the Lord. So, they should have a relationship with the Lord because you are commanded to love your wife as Christ loves the church. (See Ephesians 5:22-33) Women you're to be found not looking! If marriage is a desire, ask God to give you a wife's heart and prepare you to be the wife that brings favor to your husband and your house. Both need to understand love from God's perspective. Study 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, especially in the Amplified Bible.
The verse that spoke to me:
"Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose." (Proverbs 18:20-21 MSG)
My takeaway:
I'm continually focused on the power of my words and the impact they have on others. Words are seed and they will produce a crop. The question is what kind of crop? The good news is I get to determine that by the words I speak.
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22 AMPC)
Command your words to change your life. Your words are the seed you are planting. What you say will eventually manifest, be harvested, in your life. The law of seedtime and harvest applies to our words. The question is, will it be the harvest you want?
Our words create our destiny, so we must be very careful about what we're saying/creating. To make sure our words are life-giving we must be intentional about what we're thinking about. Our thoughts impact the words we speak and the actions we take.
Our life today is the sum total of the words spoken yesterday. If we don't like what you're living, ask God for a crop failure on every word you've spoken that did not line up with His Word and then start planting again. If you don't like what you're having, change what you're saying!
"This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?” (James 3:7-12 MSG)
PRAYER:
Father, forgive us for every word we've spoken that did not line up with what Your Word says. We ask for a crop failure for all those words. Help us to speak consciously considering the impact that our words will have on others, and on ourselves. We declare that we will speak life and blessings from this moment forward. I pray this prayer in faith and on the authority of the Name of Jesus. Amen.
FAITH CONFESSION:
"God, give me grace to guard my lips from speaking what is wrong." (Psalm 141:3 TPT)
Lord, let Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, through me.
Share in the comments what verse spoke to you and why. Let's grow in wisdom together.
Be Encouraged! ❤