September 10

Sep 10 - Today from Proverbs 10 we look at verse 31
"The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out."

You probably noticed that most of this chapter is about speaking. It's one of the marvelous human traits that separates us from the animal kingdom. (When I say 'speaking', I am talking about forming a thought and articulating that thought with meaningful words.) Our words reveal much about our heart and our character. They form the main vehicle by which we transfer ideas, intentions, knowledge, and emotions. If our eyes are the window to our soul, then our words are the highway from our soul. When two people are speaking with one another and communication isn't happening, they often say "We're just not connecting here." They are sending out words on two different interstates. They somehow have to get on the same highway in order to properly transfer their thoughts.
When people speak words that make sense, other people are attracted to their highway. People don't like dealing with the unknown. I know I don't. I would rather know the truth than not know at all - even if it hurts. If you have the truth, you are forced to deal with it. If you don't know, your mind can be consumed with doubt, fear and confusion. Who wants to live that way? Yes, deep down, people want to know the truth. The righteous are those who speak words of truth. Wisdom is truth about life the way it is meant to be from the perspective of the Creator of life. "The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom." People may not initially want to hear the truth of the righteous, but when the chips are down and they are facing critical life situations - they want truth, and they are looking to hook up to any highway that brings it. Here is where integrity is so key.
The righteous may be ridiculed and ignored - but they never waver in their convictions. They tell the truth, and they live the truth as best as they know how. Those who ridicule and ignore still take notice - and when the chips are down, they often go to these people of conviction seeking truth. Fair-weather friends who change their opinions with every self-serving whim may be a lot of fun to hang with, but in time they prove that their words are perverse. The root word for this term in the original Hebrew means to overturn or to change. It's difficult to seek truth from a person who has shared overturned opinions their whole life. You're not sure if you are getting the truth or just the latest opinion. No, you're going to shut that highway down and go look for a highway of truth. "The perverse tongue will be cut out." Not literally, but certainly figuratively.
We are called to be people of truth. It is seen in God's foundational edict of moral behavior; "You shall not bear false witness." David writes in Psalm 34:13, "Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." We are to be witnesses of Christ. A witness tells the truth. God says of Levi (the heir of the covenant of priesthood), in Malachi 2:6; "True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin." Levi (the priesthood), was entrusted with the Word of God, and was faithful to speak forth its truth. The people listened when life situations became critical, and many turned from their sin.
"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. . ." (1 Peter 2:9). You are called to continue the task of Levi. By being consistent, and by speaking the truth in love, you can be God's agent and see many turned from their sin. -or- You can avoid being ridiculed and ignored for your convictions by simply holding your tongue. You ‘can cut’ out your own tongue and no one would be the wiser. You could keep all of that valuable, life-changing, life-saving truth to yourself. . .
And your friends could die in their sin.