Parenting by the Book
STUDY 76
Text: Proverbs 10
8 December 2002
Dear Parents,
THE WISE USE OF THE TONGUE
1. “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life…”
Proverbs 10:11
The person who is righteous will be evidenced by the way he speaks! His words are well compared to a well. As water is to life, so the mouth of the righteous offers life-giving words.
2. “… He who restrains his lips is wise.”
Proverbs 10:19
There is always this tendency to speak too much. There are people who will comment on anything and everything, even though they know little about the subject being discussed. Wisdom teaches us that the refraining of the lips is the best course of action.
3. “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver…”
Proverbs 10:20
Refraining of the lips does not mean that a person does not say very much. Rather, when he speaks, his words are so full of wisdom, that it is compared to “choice silver”.
4. “The lips of the righteous feed many…”
Proverbs 10:21
When a wise person speaks, his words of wisdom become food for the soul. Many are blessed by the words spoken by this righteous person.
5. “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.”
Proverbs 10:31
A sharp contrast is now being made between wise and unwise use of the tongue.
a) The righteous person will speak wisely.
b) The person who is wicked will speak with a “perverse tongue”.
6. “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.”
Proverbs 10:32
Another attempt to draw a contrast is made in this text.
a) The righteous person will know what is acceptable to speak.
b) The person who is wicked, will evidence his wickedness by speaking that which is perverse.
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO SPEAK WISELY AND WELL
The advice from the Lord’s Word is clear. We should encourage our children to speak in such a way that their lips would one day be found to be full of wisdom. It takes years to be able to speak wisely. Let us train our children to speak well from a young age.
Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie