Proverbs 4:24

Proverbs 4:24 "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."
Buffalo ny church
No one likes to use public restrooms.  We only use them if and when we have to.  From first-world countries to the third-world countries, the places people use for the deposit of personal waste are the dirtiest places in the world.  Given the activities that “go down” in public restrooms, we typically don’t spend any more time than necessary in these places.  For what they are designed for, public restrooms are full of germs.  People who are conscious of hygiene will limit their time near or in them, being sure to wash their hands and touch as little as possible in the process.

Perhaps you’re asking, “What do public restrooms have to do with Proverbs 4:24?”  They have everything to do with Proverbs 4:24 when you consider what a person is called who has a foul mouth – POTTYMOUTH!  The person who spews out profanity, vulgarity and obscenity earns a Toilet Title.  The mouth that swirls around stinky speech is just like a dirty toilet.  In fact, it’s interesting that most public restrooms have perverted words etched into walls and partitions.  Dirty toilets and dirty talk go hand in hand.

Perhaps you’re still asking, “What do public restrooms have to do with Proverbs 4:24?”  Solomon is instructing his son to put perverse mouths far from him.  He is telling his son to keep his distance from toilet talk.  He is counseling his son to remove himself from those who speak vulgar words.  He is also counseling his son to remove those who speak profanity from him.  We need to see dirty dialog the same way we see public restrooms – as something we don’t want to be around.  We need to see filthy language the same way we see public restrooms – as something we don’t want to spent any more time with than we have to.  There are some places, such as job sites and school hallways where perverse language is unavoidable but much of the time, we choose what type of mouths we surround ourselves with.  We choose what type of television programs we watch.  We choose what type of movies we watch.  We choose what type of YouTube videos we watch.  We choose what type of friends we hang out with.
 
We need to approach dirty mouths the same way we approach dirty restrooms.  We should see dirty chatter as a threat to our moral health.  We should see filthy conversation as a threat to our souls.  We should limit our exposure to such words to only that which is unavoidable instead of willingly subjecting ourselves to it by spending hours in front of vulgar media.  We should work hard to avoid profanities & obscenities instead of paying money to hear them.

Solomon’s counsel to put perverse lips “FAR FROM THEE” is based on his preceding counsel to “KEEP THY HEART with all diligence.”  The more you expose your heart to evil communication, the more you corrupt your heart.  The more profanity you invite into your heart, the more profanity you fill your heart with.  Naturally then, you will be more likely to issue or speak profanity.  “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for OUT OF IT are the issues of life” (verse 23).  As previously noted, “OUT OF the ABUNDANCE of the HEART the MOUTH SPEAKETH” (Matthew 12:34).  What we put into our heart eventually comes out of the heart.  Therefore, keep your heart with all diligence by putting evil communication far from it.

Paul the Apostle wrote, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).  A good heart exposed to evil communications will eventually be corrupted and the result will be an evil mouth.  If you watch enough movies with filthy language, eventually your heart will be corrupt and “out of it” will issue filthy language.  If you entertain gossipers and slanderers long enough, eventually your heart will be corrupt and “out of it” will issue gossip and slander.  What we put into our hearts through our eyes and ears eventually comes out through our mouth.  Consider Simon Peter, who spent much of his life surrounded by blue collar fishermen who undoubtedly spoke like sailors.  What his heart was exposed to for years eventually came out and it came out at the worst time.  After Christ was arrested, Peter was accused of being one of His disciples three times.  After being accused the first time, Peter unfortunately denied being Christ’s disciple.  After being accused the second time, Peter again denied but did so with an oath so as to be more convincing.  Finally, when accused the third time, Peter’s fear and emotion took over and “out of his heart” issued that which he had been exposed to for much of his life.  Matthew 26:74, “Then began he to CURSE and to swear, saying, I know not the man.”  The Lead Apostle spoke like a sailor at the worst of times because he exposed his heart to the profane language of sailors for a lot of time.

Just because you don’t swear right now doesn’t mean you won’t swear when put in the position to do so.  Just because you don’t say what the actors and actresses say now doesn’t mean you won’t say them when emotions make those things in your heart bubble out of your mouth.  Keep your heart with all diligence by diligently putting perverse lips FAR FROM YOU.

Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags

Rehoboam Solomon fear of God health pride self-sufficiency wisdom 1 Corinthians 1 John 2020 5th Commandment Aaron Abel Abigail Abortion Abraham Absalom Accident Accomplishment Achan Acts 17 Acts Adam & Eve Adam Adolescence Adolf Hitler Adulterer Adulteress Aesop's Fable Aesop\'s Fable Aesop\\\'s Fable Affair Age Agreement Ahijah Ahithophel Albany Alcoholism Alive Ally Alone Amazon Ambition American America Amnon Andrew Finch Animal Abuse Animals Answered Prayer Antichrist Applause Apple of Eye Approval Arrogance Arthritis Asaph Ashamed Athletes Athletics Attorney Backbone Back Balaam Balance Bank Accounts Bathsheba Beauty Bedroom Beecher Behavior Benefit Benjamin BestBuy Bethlehem Betting Bezaleel Bible reading Bible teacher Bible-reading Bible Biblical instruction Big Mouths Big Picture Bin Laden Birth Blog Boasting Bonar Bondage Books Boomerang Boyfriend Brutal Brutish Budget Buffalo Bills Builder Building Business CA Rt 1 Cable News Calamity Call of Duty Calming Calvin Canaan Cancer Candidates Careers Cares of Life Casey Viner Change Character Cheesecake Factory Christian upbringing Christ Churches Circumspect Clamor Clinton Clothes Clothing Coaches Coach College Commands Commend Communication Companionship Companions Company Compliance Conceit Conception Condemnation of God Confession Confidentiality Conflict Conservation Contentions Contrast Conversation Conviction Cooperation Corinthians Corrupt Cosigner Cosigning Cosign Counseling Countenance Courting Coworkers Creation Creator Creatures Crime Criminals Crooked Cruel Curiosity Currency Danger Daniel Data Dating Daughters David Days Death Deceit Deceptive Delilah Delivery Democracy Democratic Desires Desire Deuteronomy Devil Diet Diligent Diploma Discovery Diseases Disease Dishonesty Dishonor Dislikes Divorce Domestic Violence Doorhanger Dreams Dress Drink Drug lords Drunk Driver Drunk Early Adulthood Ears Eastern Culture Ecclesiastes Economic Stability Eden Elderly Elihu Elijah Eliphaz Emai Emerson Emmies Employers Encouragement Engagement Enoch Ephesians Ephraimites Esau Estate Planning Esther Eternity Evening Eve Evolution Excellence Excel Exodus Expectations Expectation Experience FaceBook Face Faithful Fall of Man False Fame Families Famine Farmer Farming Farm Fashion Favor of God Fear of the Lord Fearing God Feast of Purim Financial Advisor Financial Planning Financial Security Fingers Food Foolish Football Free-will Freedom Friendships Friendship Friend Froward Fruit Fumble GPS Gadarenes Galatians 6:7 Galatians Gamble Gang Garden of Eden Garden of Gethsemane Garden Gender Differences Genesis Gideon Gileadites Girlfriend Girls Giving Glad Gluttony Goals God's Kingdom God\'s Kingdom Godhead Goliath Goodness Gossip Graciousness Grammies Grandchildren Gratitude Grave Grief Guess Guide Guilt Culture Gun Control Gun Violence Guns Gutters Hagar Haman Hamlet Hands Hannah Hard Work Hard-Working Harlot Hate Evil Hatred Head Healthcare Healthy Hearing Heaven Heaviness Heavy Heart Hebrews Helicopters Hell Herod Highway History Hollywood Holy Spirit Home Depot Homeowner Homes Homicide Homosexuality Honesty House Human Nature Humble Humility Hunting Hypocrisy Hypocrites IRS Ian Brady Illness Immorality Inconsiderate Independence Industrious Inheritance Inherit Insecurity Insight Instagram Instructing Integrity Internet Interview Intoxication Inventions Isaac Israel Jacob Jairus James Jealousy Jeffrey Dahmer Jeremiah Jeroboam Jerusalem Jesus Christ Jesus Jewish Law Jewish Jimmy Soul Jobs Job John the Apostle John Jonah Joseph Joshua Josiah Joy Judah Judaism Judas Iscariot Judges Judging Judgmental Jury Justice System Kindness King David King Hezekiah Kings King Know-it-all Language Last Testament Law Enforcement Laws Law Leaders Learn Legislation Liars Liar Liberty Library Lies Life Lesson Life-Insurance Likes Lion Loan Longevity Look Looting Lori Loughlin Loss of Health Loss of LIfe Loss Lottery Love Triangle Lowliness Luke 7 Luke Luther Luxury Lying MLB Magazines Majority Maker Makeup Maniac Manna Mansion Maple Trees Mark Martyrs Martyr Marvel Mary Matthew Media Memories Mentors Men Merciful Merriness Messages Mike Tyson Mindset Ministers Mob Mocker Mocking Monarchy Monarch Monopoly Month Moody Morality Mordecai Morning Moses Mouths Murder Musician NBA NFL NHL Natural Disaster Naughtiness Nebuchadnezzar Negative Nehemiah New Tricks News Anchors Noah Nobles Nose Numbers Nutrition O.J. Simpson Obama Observation Obtain Old Dogs Olive Garden Order Others Paint Parenting Passion Pastors Pastor Paul the Apostle Paul Perspective Perverse Perversion Peter Pharisees Pharoah Philippians Phone Call Physical Appearance Plant Player Pleasure Policies Political Parties Politicians Politics Polygamy Poor Popularity Portrait Positive Possessions Potiphar's Wife Potiphar\'s Wife Potiphar\\\'s Wife Potiphar\\\\\\\'s Wife Praise Prate Prating Preacher Pregnancy Pregnant Preparation Princes Prince Principal Thing Principal Procrastinate Procrastinator Profit Proof Prophecy Prophet Prosperity Gospel Prostitute Protests Proud Proverbs Proverb Psalm 21 Psalm 35 Psalm 37 Psalms 37 Psalms Psalm Punishment Pure Purity Purpose QVC Questions Rachel Rage Ransom Rebate Rebekkah Rebel Red Lobster Reels Regulations Regulation Rehoboam Rehoboma Relationship Difficulties Relationship Religion Remember Repentance Reporter Reprove Republican Reputation Research Resistance Responsibilities Resume Resurrection Retirement Revealing Revelation Reward Rich & Famous Rich Man Rich Ridicule Righteouness Right Riot Road Romania Romans 8:28 Romans Rulers Ruler Rules Rule Sabbath Sadness Samson Samuel Sarah Satan Satisfaction Satisfy Saul Saving Scale Scam School Science Scientist Scoffer Scripture Sea of Galilee Seasons Seatbelts Secrets Seduce Seed Seek Self-Confidence Selfies Selfishness Senses Sermons Servitude Sexual Chaos Sexual Confusion Shakespeare Shame Culture Shame Shane Gaskill Shenandoah Valley Shoe Laces Siblings Sickness Sight Silence Simon Peter Simon Sinning Slothful Smelling Social Media Social Society Solomon Song of Solomon Sons Sorrow Source Speaking Speak Speculation Speech Speeding Spies Spiritual Security Sporting Sports Sport Spouses Stanley Cup Steal Stephen Stimulus Stock Market Strange Woman Strangers Stratego Strength Stress Struggles Student Super Bowl Rings Surely Surety Swatting Sweat Talebearer Talkative Talking Tamar Tasting Taylor Teachers Teaching Teenagers Teenager Teens Tendency Tension Texas Roadhouse Text Theft Theocracy Tik Tok Till Timothy Tithes To be or not to be Toddlers Toddler Tolerance Tomb Tongue Touching Tour Guide Traffic Light Traffic Signal Trainer Transgressor Travel Treasure Treatment Tribute Trickery Trinity Trips Trouble True Love True Wisdom True Turner Tyler Barriss Uber Eats Understanding Unemployment Unforgiveness Unhealthy Universities Unjust Unrighteous Uprightness Upright Vain Value Vanity Vehicle Vengeance Videos Virtuous Vision Votes Voting Walk Walmart Washington Watsom Way of Life Way Wealthy Weight Western Culture Winking Wink Wise Men Witnessing Womb Women Work Ethic Worth Wrong X Yankees YouTube Zechariah addiction adultery advertisements advertiser advertising advice advisor affection affirmation aggression alcohol amos angels anointing ant anxiety appetite argument assumption as attractions authority background backyard bankrupt battle beginning birds bitterness blessed brain bright broken nose buckler campfire cardinal sins career carelessness car cause certainty charity chastening childhood childrearing children child choices church attendance church command confidence confident consequences considerate contention contentment conversaion correction counselor counsel covetousness criticism cruelty cynicism dads dad darkness dark daughter debt deception decisions defend defense demands destruction determination diamonds diligence direction disappointment discernment discipleship disciples disciple discipline discontentment discord discretion distractions distress doctrine dogs drinking drugs dying ear education effort emotions employee employer employment enemies enticement enticing envy equity evil communications evil men evil women evil example eyelids eyes ezekiel facts failure fairness faith family fathers father favor fear of God fear of man fear feelings feminine fighting fight filthy finances fire flattery focus following foolishness foolishnes fools fool forgiveness fornication friends future gambling gangs gender gold good men good government grace greed guard guilt happiness happy harm hate headlights health heart hear hold your peace holiness home honor hope hunger husbands husband ignorance illustration income inequality infidelity influence iniquity insomnia instincts instruction intimacy investigation investing isaiah issued issue jabs jewelry judgment justice just kidnapper kidney kids knowledge labor law of sowing and reaping laziness lazy leadership learning legacy length of days lessons let life light lips listening listen little liver living loans loneliness long life longterm love lucifer lust man marketing marriage math memorization memory mercy messenger millions mind ministry mischief misery loves company misery mistakes mom money mothers mother motive mouth movies nature necklace neck neighbor obscenity observant oil oppression oppressor organs ornaments parable paranoia parenthood parents parent pastoring path peace peculiarity peer pressure peers peer permission personification pleasant politician ponder pornography pottymouth poverty power prayer preservation pride priests private procrastination prodigal profanity prosperity prostitution protection protect prudence public restroom purchases reading reaping reason rebellion rebuke regret rejection relate relationships relevant remedy remembrance remorse repetition replacement reproof respect responsibility responsible retain retention riches righteousness righteous risk robber romance rubies safety sailor salvation schools scorner secret security seduction seeing see self-sufficiency self-sufficient serpent seven deadly sins seven sexist sexual sin sex short-term silver simple simplicity sinners sin skepticism slander sleeplessness sleep slothfulness sluggard smoke to the eyes smoke son soul sowing spleen spouse stability stranger strange strife striving successful success suicide surgeon sword talents talk taxes teacher television temptation tendencies thief thieves thinking think thoughtfulness thoughts thought threats time tithe tree of life trust truth tv vehicles vice video games vinegar to the teeth vinegar violence violent virtue virtuous woman visual voice of God voice vulgar walking war wealth well wickedness wicked wife will wine wisdom wise sayings wise wives woman word of God words workplace work worry young man young people young youth