Postings on Proverbs 12:19

"Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (ESV)

How do truthful lips endure forever? Millions of truthful lips have come and gone. Maybe "lips" is a metaphor for what they say because truth is truth no matter the time or place. Maybe it's that "truth endures forever, and lies last for a moment." So, why bring up lips? Maybe because you can't have truth and lies without lips to propagate them.

Who? Anyone

What? endure forever vs. last for a moment

Where? Anywhere

When? Anytime

Why? Truthful vs. lying lips

How? ???

The wisdom here, at first, was hard for me to see (Proverbs don't give up their gems easily -- 3:13-18), but were some obvious things that helped me out. First, that telling the truth is better than lying. This is seen in that lasting forever is better than lasting for a moment. Second, as a chiasm, the emphasis in this couplet is on the time duration, not the type of lips.

The wise person tells the truth because she understand that telling a lie may benefit her for a little while, but it won't in the long run.  It won't last forever.  It will be found out eventually, and she'll be exposed as a liar.

Truth, on the other hand, has no expiration date. There's no reversal of fortune for truth. There's no 'Ah ha!' moment where someone's caught. Truth stands while all the lies have their day and then cease to be. My former pastor, John MacArthur, used to tell us "Time and truth go hand in hand; given enough time the truth will come out" and he may have deduced that idea from this proverb.

If that's that case, then what are you lying about right now? Wouldn't it be best if you exposed it rather than someone else? Avoid being exposed; tell the truth.

I hope that helps! TII!!!

Postings on Proverbs 12:18

"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (ESV)

I've known a few people like this, who know exactly what to say to cut you in half with their words. I actually see this in me as well, the ability to process information about a person in such a way that maximizes the damage that can be done to them with just one comment. Lord, thank You for this proverb. Please, give it power to sanctify me and anyone who might read this.

Who? Anyone

What? Damage people vs Heal people

Where? Anywhere

When? Anytime

Why? Fool vs. Wise

How? With their words

"Rash words" are careless, heartless, insensitive, hasty, reckless, thoughtless, impetuous, without any regard to the well-being of the person being spoken to. Swords are used to maim and slaughter, and so do these words, fileting whoever they're thrust towards. Do your words like this? Are you even aware enough of your own actions to be able to answer that question accurately?

Are you around someone who regularly damages people with his or her words? Often, these kinds of people need our compassion because their harsh words come from pain, from fear of letting people get close to them, from anger, from bitterness, from unforgiveness, all of which merely explains their cold-blooded comments, and can never justifies them.

The skill from the first line is to recognize people like this (hopefully, that person is not you) so as to avoid people like this (if possible), to watch out for their impact on your life, to limit their access to you, to keep them at arms length relationally, and even to get yourself away from them, just like you would someone trying to slash you with a sword.

Or, are you the kind of person whose words encourage, bless and heal? It's hard to answer that question, because we always give ourselves the benefit of the doubt, so let me rephrase it. Would the people closest to you say that what they love about you is how your words to them are constantly blessing and encouraging them? When I ask it like that, the question stings a little, but in a good way.

Do my words give life people? I can be very sarcastic, which ruins trust and can make a person defensive around me because my words contaminate their heart. I don't want to "aim at promoting [my] public image, craving for admiration, and serving [my] own interests," nor do I want to create "barriers between [myself] and others" with my words (Waltke 537).

Rather than sarcasm, which I find myself doing to make myself seem smart or funny, I need to take God seriously: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear" (Eph 4:29).

I want my words to give life, and I want to be surrounded by people who's words "bring healing." If you find someone like this, do your best to become their friends. They are critical to pull in close because they have the ability, with their words, to soothe and even fix the hurt others have inflicted on you (with God's power).

Postings on Proverbs 12:17

"Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit" (ESV)

Who: anyone
What: gives honest evidence vs utters deceit
Where: anywhere
When: anytime
Why: our words come from our hearts
How: speaks the truth vs. being a false witness

This proverbs seems like a "duh" proverb. Um, no kidding honest evidence comes from someone who speaks the truth, and no kidding deceit comes from the mouth of a false witness.

This "duh-ness" makes me think there's A LOT more going on here that I don't see at first glance. The reason I say that is because a proverb is supposed to give us a piece of wisdom, a skill, that when applied, at the right time and in the right context, helps us live a good life. How does this proverb do that?

Maybe, 12:17 does this by saying that someone who usually tells the truth or usually lies, when the pressure is on -- like in a trial when he's a "witness" with firsthand knowledge of what he's testifying about -- he will do what he usually does. Deception in a court case aims "to mislead the judge and to frustrate justice by declaring the righteous guilty and the guilty innocent" (Waltke 536).

One of the smart guys says, "A conscientious witness (see 6:19) declares the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and so strengthens the community; an unreliable person aims to mislead and damage others" (W 535). So, beyond the act itself, the perjurer selfishly places themselves and their interests above truth, justice and the community.

He goes on to say "the character of falseness or sincerity always affects the whole person," meaning this proverb "has to do with more than merely false or truth words" (W 536), meaning it speaks beyond individual actions to character.

My favorite teacher of all time, Ronald Wright, used to say that we're all like sponges, what's on the inside comes out when we're squeezed. If we are honest, we will tell the truth when life squeezes us. If we aren't, we will do our character. We do what we are, and only what we are.

The wisdom of this verse, in my mind, is after evaluating my own words is to ask myself, "Am I surrounding myself with honest people? If not, their bad character could harm me when life squeezes them, so beware!"

I hope that helps! TII!!!

Postings on Proverbs 12:16

"A fool's anger is known at once, but a prudent man conceals dishonor" (NASB) or "The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult" (ESV)

I liked the NASB for the first line and the ESV for the second line, so in my translation it would say "A fool's anger is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult" (JBV).

Who: the fool vs. the prudent / wise
What: anger (= excitement, upset, incensed) known immediately vs. ignoring an insult
Where: anywhere
When: anytime
Why: one is a fool while the other is prudent
How: they are a fool or prudent depending on their response to something that could make them angry

As I think about the bottom line for both sides of the proverb, it seems to me the issue is self-control, as this verse "admonishes self-control over one's dangerous emotions" (Waltke 534). Angry people have a hair-trigger, meaning the slightest offense, the smallest infraction, the tiniest sin will set them off. They have no filter. They have no control. They are unpredictable. When they're angry it's on, and everyone knows it.

Often, people like this are in positions of power, and when they are their subordinates live in fear of setting them off. They got that way, many times, because of unforgiveness, which poisons their soul with bitterness that expresses itself in anger. And, underneath unforgiveness is often pride, an unwillingness to let go of an offense because "X hurt ME!!!"

Do you know anyone like this? They are terrible to be in any kind of relationship with. Don't miss that this proverb says quick anger unmasks someone as a fool.

I've found myself getting angry recently, like in the past month or so. It revolves around wanting to be farther along in my life than I currently am, and sensing that there's no hope for me to advance where I've been for the last 3 years. Dissatisfaction has grown from the distance between my current work and my desired work as a pastor. Last night, I was in a meeting where a minor ministry idea of mine was shot down by 3 people, one of whom is in authority, but thankfully, though I was angry and embarrassed God gave me the grace to ignore the "dishonor" I felt. 

The wise are self-controlled, having "the ability to regulate one's emotional display for one's own advantage" (Longman 276). They don't let their feelings dominate their thoughts, their emotions, their words or their actions. They are able to stop and think before they respond, and consider the outcome of their anger before expressing it.

The word "conceals" or "ignores" means "to render what is covered invisible." So, someone may not know they just sinned against this person because she's anticipated the negative reactions to her anger and then controlled it. I think of Jesus in this, who didn't say anything when He was being viciously sinned against at His trials. Oh to be like Him!

I hope that helps! TII!!!

Postings on Proverbs 12:15

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice" (ESV)

This proverb, like so many, confronts our TV shows, movies, music -- the major culture-shaping influencers in our culture -- and their 'I did it my way' attitudes. Proverbs does this by attacking the core of our culture, which is in the heart of every human being: pride.

Who: the fool vs the wise
What: is right in his own eyes vs listens to advice
Where: anywhere
When: anytime
Why: neither is in the text, but it seems this is pride vs. humility
How: ???

Here, whether one is wise or foolish depends on what you do with the counsel you receive from wise people. "The wise recognizes his need [for] counsel; the arrogant fool is convinced that he has no need. ... This know-it-all individualist, who does it his own way, is living in a fool's paradise, but no one can tell him that" (Waltke 533). The "know-it-all' is arrogant, and his arrogance blinds him from identifying the problems he's causing his own life.

I've seen the blinding effects of someone being "right in his own eyes." I had a boss who blamed the problems he really caused on scapegoats to save his own reputation. This kept him from ever addressing his own issues, from ever seeing his own sin, from ever asking if he was actually the cause of the problems he and his organization was facing. The result: these kinds of people "just keep marching forward to their own destruction" (Longman 276).

In contrast, "the wise are not convinced that their way is invariably correct, so they are willing to pay attention to advice" (Longman). Part of needing advice is admitting you don't have all the answers, that you have blind spots, that you need other people in your life to make good decisions, and all of that takes humility. Humble people ask for help, especially when they're making big decisions or when things are falling apart around them.

Ask yourself, how often do I even ask for advice? Or, when I get advice, do I listen to it? If your answer to these questions is Never or Almost Never, you're prideful and on the "way of a fool" that leads to destruction.

Postings on Proverbs 12:14

"From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him" (ESV)

The saying, "You reap what you sow" is a metaphor, based on Galatians 6:7, that comes from Rule #1 in farming, you can expect that whatever seed you plant in the ground will be what grows at harvest time.

Who? Anyone who speaks and works
What? Will be satisfied ("filled" in 12:11) with good
Where? Anywhere
When? Anytime
Why? "the fruit of his mouth," "the work of a man's hand"
How? This likely has to do with the quality of one's words and work

Waltke puts it well: "Like the tree's choice produce, one's good teachings, peacemaking guidance, godly exhortations, and comforting encouragement reveal his basic character, are produced effortlessly, and sustain the life of the community. ... As his internal nature produced the good fruit that feeds others, the good now turns around and feeds him, producing life within" (531).

The "good," the benefits he or she receives comes from those who benefit from his words or work. "Deeds and their consequences are inseparable. ...the Lord reciprocates the doer his favorable ethical deeds" (531), especially on Judgment Day.

In this proverb, the boomerang effect of our lives "returns" (pun intended), the idea being how you live your life impacts and even determines the quality of your own life. A 90s band called the New Radicals proclaimed it over and over in their one hit, "Can't forget, we only get what we give."

The question for anyone who read this verse and takes Proverbs seriously has been running through my mind "How am I talking to the people I interact with at work? At home? At church?" and "What is coming back to me now that let's me know how I'm doing at my job? At home? At church?"

However, beyond the obvious, this proverb helps you evaluate your life now. It helps you see that one of the ways you can evaluate your life now is by looking at how you've treated people and the kind of work you've done. Are there unnecessary trials as a result of your mouth (my mom used to say I never would've been in trouble if I didn't have a mouth)? How are you contributing to difficulties at your work? Are others advancing ahead of you because your work is sub-standard or because your attitude is off-putting?

This proverb also helps you evaluate the people around you. Are they always losing jobs, broke, in conflict? Do they always have bad professional or personal relationships? It may be because they do poor work, which produces rotten fruit with their rotten mouths that come from their rotten hearts.

Be careful! You become like those you put yourself around, and in a very real way, like that girl in the video, someone else's boomerang will can hit you associate yourself with them and adopt their bad habits as your own.

I hope that helps! TII!!!