He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
Wisdom and Foolishness – A Contrast:
Judgments Based Upon Speech (2): Proverbs 18:6-8
6) A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for
strokes.
7) A fool's mouth [is] his
destruction, and his lips [are] the
snare of his soul.
8) The words of a talebearer [are]
as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
In
this text, Solomon compares wise discernment applied to deciding the speech to
which we will take heed.
EXPOSITION:
6) A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for
strokes.
The
speech of a fool:
1. is argumentative and unproductive
2. demands the punishment of others while
deserving the same punishment.
“Flee also youthful lusts:
but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the
Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the
Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing
those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to
the acknowledging of the truth; And [that] they may
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him
at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:22-26)
7) A fool's mouth [is] his
destruction, and his lips [are] the
snare of his soul.
3. leads to his eventual defeat, ruin and loss
4. hinders his forward progress and works toward
his own harm
“Surely the serpent will
bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. The words of a wise man's
mouth [are] gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words
of his mouth [is] foolishness: and the end of his talk [is] mischievous
madness. A fool also is full of
words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can
tell him?” (Ecclesiastes 10:11-14)
8) The words of a talebearer [are]
as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Those
who lie about others are:
1.
slandering them
2.
seeking to work up ill will and hatred against them
3.
speaking words that are making deep, damaging, painful wounds that reach into
the softest, most vulnerable and unprotected parts of the body.
“Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp
razor, working deceitfully.” (Psalms 52:2)
SUMMARY:
Wise,
Godly discernment will help us to recognize the harmfulness of the speech of
fools and the need to turn from it. May
the Lord grant us the ability to recognize foolish speech, turn from it, and
speak words of wisdom to refute it.
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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