Light for the Journey
“THOUGHTFUL SPEECH”
“The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Prov. 15:28).
God created mankind with the ability to exercise the mind by forming thoughts and ideas. Humans alone can express and communicate these thoughts in discernible words. Yet, with any great ability comes great responsibility. The sacred writers emphasize the need for thoughtful speech.
The heart of the righteous studies how to answer. There is always the danger in speech of saying something injurious. There is the danger of communicating a message that is corrupt and contemptible. There is the possibility of speaking in a way that betrays what is true and promotes what is false. Therefore, the heart—or mind—of a righteous person will deliberate, meditate, and formulate a proper response.
“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips” (Prov. 16:23).
Earlier, the inspired sage observed in Proverbs 15:2, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” This implies that knowledge can be used wrongly. How so?
- To deceive – Twisting facts or the Scriptures to manipulate others.
- To boast – Some may use knowledge as a vehicle for pride. Knowledge can puff up (1 Cor. 8:1), but love tempers it to edify.
- To harm – Using knowledge as a weapon to belittle, control, or slander a weakness in another. Simply because we know something doesn’t mean we should repeat it. Proverbs 12:18 says, “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.” Do I use words as a butcher or a surgeon—to destroy or to help?
- To justify sin – One can use knowledge to rationalize sin and excuse wrongdoing. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (Isa. 5:20).
- To argue over foolish disputes – “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife” (2 Tim. 2:23). Certainly, not all disputes are foolish, but all ignorant disputes without a productive purpose are.
The inspired apostle charges in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Jesus also warned in Matthew 12:36, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”
Thoughtful speech is in contrast to rash talk. Rash lips proved dangerous enough to keep Moses out of the Promised Land (Psalm 106:32-33). Rash and foolish speech will also keep us from reaching our goal of being with Jesus in eternity.
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (Jas. 1:19).
