Proverbs 10.18
“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.”
People often hide their hatred in the hopes that others will not see their true motives until it’s too late. It is a very bad combination: hatred and lying. And eventually—usually sooner rather than later—the hatred and the lies come out.
At that point, it is simply the ugliness and foolishness of slander. It is lying and bearing false witness against others. Needless to say, it is toxic and destructive.
Proverbs 10.19-21
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.”
Use words sparingly. Don’t talk too much! Proverbs consistently teaches that fewer words are better than many words (see also 13:3; 17:28). Words are powerful and should be uttered carefully. The more a person talks, the greater the potential for saying something that will cause a problem.
The wise person, here called prudent, is one who chooses words strategically. The time and situation must be right for the words that are spoken. We must exercise restraint. In many situations the wise thing is to remain quiet. We must fight the urge to speak.
Wise people exercise restraint and choose their words judiciously. For that reason, their “tongue is choice silver” and their “lips feed many.” Their words bring value to many people.
Not so the wicked. Their heart — and thus their words — are of little worth. They speak not to build up and benefit others, but to tear down others and feed their own ego.
We live in an era when people are impulsive and reckless about giving their opinion about virtually anything. Obviously, social media has provided the platforms to proliferate reckless commentary, but don’t make the mistake of blaming social media. It only reveals what has been there all along: Foolish, arrogant people who are willing to declare their foolish, arrogant opinions.
Having an opinion worth sharing requires serious effort. Before you speak about an issue or situation, do the work and ask yourself these questions:
- Are you deeply informed in the facts and the context? Have you done your homework?
- Have you considered that you may be wrong, and what are the consequences of being wrong?
- Have you considered other perspectives? What do other people think? Why do smart people disagree with you?
- What is your motivation for expressing your opinion? Are you motivated to help or to hurt? Are you motivated by your ego, or by a genuine desire to add value?
Proverbs 10.22
“The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”
People who fear God, seek wisdom, and have a strong work ethic will experience the Lord’s blessing and a measure of wealth. And because they gain their wealth through hard work and integrity, there is no “sorrow” attached to their success.
By contrast, people who acquire wealth the wrong way almost always experience trouble of some kind. Ill-gotten riches are not a blessing. Most importantly, the riches that we have in Christ cannot be measured by the standards of worldly wealth. As Jesus said in Luke 15: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Think deeply about the value of fearing God, relentlessly seeking wisdom, and having a strong work ethic.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
