1A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,
but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,
but the income of the wicked brings ruin.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
but the hearts of fools are not upright.
8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked,
but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;
the one who hates correction will die.
11 Death and Destruction[a] lie open before the Lord—
how much more do human hearts!
12 Mockers resent correction,
so they avoid the wise.
13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but heartache crushes the spirit.
14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil.
17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love
than a fattened calf with hatred.
18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,
but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,
but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.
22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!
24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent
to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.
26 The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked,
but gracious words are pure in his sight.
27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,
but the one who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.
31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction
will be at home among the wise.
32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,
but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.
33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,
and humility comes before honor.
Imagine it… you’re on hold. You’ve been on hold. You’ve been on hold before this hold after you pushed all the buttons to get through the automated directory…
Then someone answers.
Who do they meet when they do? What kind of language do they hear coming over the phone? How do you feel when that conversation ends?
Our days are full of interpersonal interactions. At home, at work, over the phone and in person, over text messages, and on social media, we build our public-facing résumés day in and day out through the way we speak to other people… and God sees it all.
Proverbs 15 is a resounding commentary on how we as Christians should carry ourselves through these interactions. Over and over again, Solomon makes clear how seriously the Lord considers the direction of our hearts and the holiness of our dialogue. This section of Scripture should land heavily on all of us. No one carries themselves perfectly when it comes to the words that come out of our mouths. We all fall short in this area. We are prone to gossip, judge, stir up controversy, and compare ourselves to others. We mock, we taunt, we condemn, and we slander.
God sees it all, and the World listens.
A mark of the godly person is their wisdom in considering their words, not only when one is treated fairly but all the more so when one is mistreated. But, man is notorious for doing the opposite. We sputter and spew language freely, often offensively and without much thought.
If we are going to be men on mission for God, ambassadors of His reconciliation here on Earth, this cannot be overlooked. We cannot be Christians who profess our love for God with our mouths and then turn and “gush evil” with those same mouths (or thumbs).
So what guidance can we glean for how we are supposed to act when that natural desire towards rage or anger rises in us?
The Hebrew word, ‘rahd,’ describes a child in the Scriptures. While the term ‘soft’ is used in many translations, it can be reasonably translated as ‘gentle’ or ‘mild,’ which gives readers the idea of how a person should speak in a tense moment of conflict. It is as if the author is encouraging readers to have the patience they would have toward a child, toward all people.
Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You have been given these gifts through the Holy Spirit. Ask God for the wisdom to use them, to let them change the way you act and the way you speak. As you do, watch as the world around you sees Jesus through the way you live.
—
God, You show us Your character in the person of Jesus. He never lashed out, misspoke, or poured out evil words, even though He was mistreated and wrongfully accused. If wisdom looks like patience in moments of conflict, then I desire this kind of patience. Remind me of the diffusing power of a kind-hearted answer in the tensest of situations. Please remind me of this priceless wisdom when I feel tempted to lash out, be sarcastic, or hurl insults. Amen
