Proverbs 30:32-33
“If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.”
This passage is written in the classic “if/then” fashion that is common in the book of Proverbs. It warns that if we engage in pride or plotting evil, then bad things are on the horizon for us.
There are two basic things we are warned against here. First is the sin of exalting ourselves. God values humility. He opposes the proud and those who would exalt themselves in the eyes of others.
Elsewhere in Proverbs we read that we need to let another praise us, and not our own lips. To speak in praise of self is to speak foolish words of pride that, according to Scripture, goes before a fall.
“When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11.2)
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16.18)
“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 18.12)
The second action we are warned against is that of plotting evil against another. We know what eventually happens to those who do this. Either they are caught in the process and held accountable, or they succeed in their plotting which only causes them to become further corrupt. Whichever way this goes it is a foolish endeavor that ruins lives.
In both cases the admonition is to “put your hand to your mouth,” which of course means to be quiet. To put it quite bluntly, if you are thinking about exalting yourself, keep your mouth shut. Same thing if you are thinking about plotting and devising evil … keep your mouth shut.
However, what God wants us to understand is that these two things churn up and stir up anger that will end in further strife. Two examples are given. The first is the churning of butter. When milk is put into a butter churn it is a liquid, but after you spend time churning and stirring the milk over and over again, it eventually turns to butter.
The second example is that of pressing one’s nose. The reference is not just pressing down on a nose, but twisting it violently so that it bleeds.
Both of these things are undeniable truths. If you churn and stir up and press too hard, inevitable results are destined to follow. If you press and stir up anger it will produce strife. Consider someone who broods and ruminates and simmers with anger. They will church and stir up anger within themselves to the point they begin actively plotting evil against the one with whom they are angry.
The result will be strife. It is much better, the Lord says, to simply keep your mouth shut and stop stirring up trouble.
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16.32)
“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Proverbs 21.23)
