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!!!