Could you all do me a favor? Could you open your Bible and turn to Proverbs
15 and see if it has an accompanying note above it stating, "written specifically
for Pam Iannello"? It sure seems like it says that in my Bible and I just
wondered if it says that in other ones too! :-) We all have specific scriptures
that speak to us very directly, don't we? While my life verses are 1 Cor.
6:19 & 20, I would have to say my life chapter would definitely have to
be Proverbs 15. If you don't mind tarrying with over the next few days,
I need to go over this chapter again, verse by verse. I'd like to invite
you to come along with me as I share what God has convicted me personally
with. Verses 1-6 are what we will look at today....
Vs. 1 says, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir
up anger."
I wish I could just once get past reading this verse without feeling the
pinch of conviction! Clearly, the power for good and evil that lies in
the human tongue is awesome, is it not? How do soft answers and grievous
words differ? The Bible says that one disarms and the other stirs up.
Meekness can bring better results than harshness can... And believe me,
nothing stirs up anger like grievous words! What kind of conversations
do you have going on around you daily? What contribution would you say
you have made to these conversations? Have you added soft answers or harsh
words? We KNOW this verse to be true, yet why is it
easier to speak harshly rather than gently? Such a question leads us to
finding the answer in verse 2:
"The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools
poureth out foolishness."
Wisdom keeps us from making mistakes with our tongue! The speech of the
wise man is what proves the depth of his wisdom. He uses his tongue, rather
than his tongue using him! The wise man has control over his tongue for
godly purposes. He masters the art of producing the right answer at the
proper time and place. As we learned yesterday, where else do attain wisdom
to do this but from the Word of God! The picture of the fool's mouth however,
is one of a faucet just pouring out water, wasting large quantities, and
causing destruction as water does when it flows without restraint. That's
why the Word of God tells us in Romans 12:17 to recompense to no man evil
for evil. In Proverbs 24:29 the Bible also says, "Say not, I will do so
to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his
work." You see ladies, if we truly understood that we are not to retaliate,
we would leave off contention, we would not meddle with it. Hence, our
mouths would not be prone to pour out foolishness, amen? Let those angry
words pass unchallenged while
bringing your feelings under subjection. Protect yourself from becoming
a fool and use your statements in such a way that they bring great profit
to the hearers. The fool always has an answer, but others are seldom profited
by the foolish contributions such a one makes to the conversations around
him! Considering all these things makes verse three of Proverbs 15 even
more convicting:
"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."
Each and every time I read these words, I am convicted first of my words,
then of my thoughts and motives, and then of my actions. When we are living
right, this verse is a comfort. But when we are living wrong, this verse
brings terror to the sinner, amen? How is it hitting you today? Are you
finding this verse comforting or convicting? If it hurts, then there must
be some evil going on in your life. Better deal with it right away, for
the Lord sees everything! As a child, I used to think I could hide from
God.... I would burrow down under my covers foolishly thinking I had cleverly
escaped the eyes of the Lord. Little did I understand what powerful eyesight
our heavenly Father has - better than any telescope man could manufacture!
What proof that He is always omnipresent!
Proverbs 5:21, "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and
he pondereth all his goings."
Nothing escapes the Lord, not even our secret sins, for His eyes see way
down into the depths of our hearts... Ugghh!! I hate for the Lord to be
amid such muck and mire! Ever done a quick dusting job before company
arrives? In our homes we tend to keep clean those areas that others are
likely to see with their human eyes, but the Lord would have us to keep
clean those hidden areas that HIS eyes can see - even if man's eyes can't!
Ladies, God gave us this verse so that we wouldn't be lazy about keeping
any of our dirty areas clean but challenged instead by His perfect eyesight!
2 Chron. 16:9a, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart
is perfect toward him."
As mothers, we can find this quality of the Lord to be a comfort when
our children are out from underneath our wings of protection and out of
the nest, or even when our husbands are wayward. Our families will be
reminded of this truth themselves if you and I live like it while they
are still home! Do you live like the eyes of the Lord are in every place,
beholding the evil and the good in your life?? If not, you are not living
in the fear of the Lord all the day long... God's purpose for seeing in
every place is so that He can deal with us accordingly. For those living
wrong, He sends His chastisement. For those living right, comes His compassion,
His aid. Which would you prefer today??
Verse 4 of Proverbs 15 says, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but
perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit."
A wholesome tongue is a healing tongue, amen? And a healing tongue is
one that issues forth therapeutic speech. It brings health to wounded
consciences, convinces sin-sick souls to get right, and reconciles ailing
relationships. Such a tongue is a tree of life which branches out and
spreads comfort over the many lives that it reaches with the influence
of it's soothing shade. One tree cannot provide enough shade for the whole
world, and so the need for many wholesome tongues is great! We need a
forest full of them, amen? The perverse tongue however, is a poisoned
tongue that poisons all who come in contact with it much like a rattlesnake
would. Those around this snake suffer much from the quick, sharp bites
that are sent forth, sometimes even causing death! A breach in the spirit
is a gap, a break, a rupture; the space between the severed parts of a
solid body parted by violence. Has your intimate relationship with the
Lord been severed by your misuse of words? Be careful there is not a breach
in your spirits today caused by that itty-bitty, harmless looking member
of your body - your tongue!
"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great
things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"
(James 3:5)
Verse 5 of Proverbs 15 says, "A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
but he that regardeth reproof is prudent."
What type of person hates and resists correction? A fool, the Bible says!
You wouldn't be one of those, would you?? How did you feel after the preaching
of God's Word when you attend services? Do you respond to it, regard it
- or do you refuse instruction within your heart and choose to lean upon
your own self confidence? Do you feel as if you do not need the assistance
of those who are your instructors? Only you know the answer to that, but
it won't be long and those outside of you will be able to tell how you
reacted to your heavenly Father's instruction! Yes, the fruit of your
reaction will show up in your life... If you and I regard reproof from
the Lord, thankfully accept His correction, as we expect our children
to from us, we are called prudent. Prudence is wisdom applied to practice.
That means we are not guilty of living only for today but we are thinking
ahead, considering the consequences of our behavior. It is caution exercised
in forseeing and avoiding evil.
As a parent, aren't you encouraged when your children finally start showing
signs of thinking before acting?? How do you think the Lord feels when
He starts to see us living prudently? How can we expect our children to
live in such a way if they are not seeing their parents considering the
consequences of their behavior.... So many parents, Christians included,
are living messed up lives before the eyes of their children, and many
of those kids will grow up and leave home without a clue as to how to
conduct themselves or live prudently! Many young people today find the
reproof or advice of their elders distasteful. Have we contributed to
this problem by our poor example? We don't want our children to dishonor
our instruction and we shouldn't dishonor God's either... Do right! Only
a home with such high regard for instruction will end up labeled as the
"house of the righteous" spoken of in our next and last verse for today,
verse 6:
"In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of
the wicked is trouble."
What's in your house today ladies - treasure or trouble? God's blessing
rests upon the house of the righteous. Right living leads to abundant
blessings! The true treasures in life are not what this world affords
us, but are found in a home bent on righteous living, it's members devoted
to personally upholding righteousness. If this describes your house, you
have a treasure! Don't take it for granted, for the home right next to
yours is probably filled with trouble. The wicked pile up worldly treasures,
and are filled with worldliness rather than righteousness. I hope your
homes are beacon's of light in your neighborhood, among your neighbors.
This world needs to see and know what true riches really are, and how
can they except they see within your home the glow of pure living? May
our homes be a pattern for others to follow after, amen?
Well, thank you all for walking through these verses with me today. They
have been refreshing reminders of what I need to keep tight hold of in
my life, and keep ever before my eyes! And as always, I am convicted of
those things that I have let slip and need to pick up again. Where would
we be without the Word of God to keep us on the right track, amen?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 1999 Pamela A. Iannello
