Proverbs 13:2-3 "A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."
While we don’t know how the Book of Proverbs was compiled, these two proverbs clearly belong together. It’s unlikely that they were written at separate times but if they were, they’re most definitely connected. What one proverb says, the other explains. What Solomon means by the “fruit of his mouth” are the good results of a person “keeping his mouth.” What Solomon then means by a man “opening wide his lips” is any verbal “transgression.” Simply put, these proverbs teach us that we easily cross lines with our words and the consequence is violently destructive.
The language of these proverbs is intentionally graphic. Violence and destruction are serious subjects. Violence and destruction are life-altering events. They are the things the nightly news are made up of. Violence and destruction are the things entire industries are created to prevent. No one wants either of these in their home. No one wants either of these in their schools or churches. No one wants violence or destruction in their communities. The developed and civilized nations of our world have placed a great emphasis on reducing violence and destruction within their borders primarily through the governing of weapons. In our great country, gun violence has touched every city, town and village resulting in an ongoing debate over gun control. While that debate rages on, most in our great nation ignore the daily violence and destruction that is being caused by the weapon that every citizen of our nation possesses – the TONGUE.
Indeed, gun violence is destroying lives and families. Without question, it is increasing in our society. It matters and should be addressed by community leaders but the ultimate solution to gun violence is self-control. Whoever owns a gun, legally or illegally, must recognize the consequences of improperly managing that firearm. Not only can they do great harm to others but they must recognize the violence and destruction that they can bring to themselves. Yes, a person can use a firearm accidentally or intentionally to harm themselves but the violence I’m speaking about is the kind that comes as a result of harming others. Pulling the trigger out of ignorance or out of hatred to harm someone will produce a violent response from the community, by the family of the victim or ultimately by the Judge of all the Earth. For that reason, guns must be managed very carefully and be used with serious consideration of any potential ramification.
In the same way gun violence produces violence and destruction for the shooter, tongue violence produces violence and destruction for the speaker. Kind words don’t need a large opening to be projected. Honest words don’t need a broad barrel to be communicated. Loving words don’t need a wide mouth to be spoken. Wide mouths are for bombs. Large barrels are for destructive words. The bigger the mouth, the more hurtful the words. When we have to open our mouths wide to get out big and hurtful words, we’re crossing a relational line that will come back to hurt us. Verbal transgressions require “big mouths” and they destroy relationships. Big mouths spread secrets they shouldn’t spread. Big mouths spread lies that they shouldn’t spread. Big mouths say pointed things that they shouldn’t say. Big mouths project words that relationships can’t absorb and sustain. Big mouths bring violence and destruction to the relationships they’re in, which does devastating harm to the person responsible for the big mouth.
Homes aren’t built for big verbal guns. Big mouths bring violence and destruction to marriages and to families. The husband with the big mouth brings violence to HIS relationship with HIS wife and kids. The wife with the big mouth brings destruction to HER relationship with HER husband and children. The son who opens his mouth wide to get memorable things out of it will bring destruction to HIS relationship with HIS family. The woman who opens her mouth wide to get harsh things out of it will bring destruction to HER relationship with HER family. Churches are no different. Untrue or unkind things that are said are projectiles that relationships within the body of Christ can’t survive being hit by. The Christian man who doesn’t control the trigger of his tongue is going to hurt people and in the process, bring violence and destruction to his own life. The Christian woman who doesn’t respect the power of her tongue will say things that will provoke a violent response and eventually, relational destruction. On the contrary, the person that keeps his mouth will keep his relational life and his ministerial position.
Just as with gun violence, tongue violence so easily provokes further tongue violence. In a world of 8 billion souls, every person is armed with a powerful weapon in their mouth that is developed by the age of three. It is hard to keep that tongue when someone else shoots off their tongue. It is hard to keep the lips from opening wide when someone projects a cannon-ball of a statement your way. In these moments, the truth of these proverbs remains true – crossing a verbal line for any reason at any time brings violence and destruction to the transgressor. Solomon must’ve learned to pray what his father prayed for in Psalm 141:3, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” David was very conscious of the punch his tongue packed, which is why he wrote, “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a BRIDLE, while the wicked is before me” (Psalm 39:1). This is the language of the New Testament when James wrote, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to BRIDLE the whole body” (James 3:2) and “If any man among you seem to be religious, and BRIDLETH not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26).
According to the Brady Campaign, on average, 327 people are shot in American every day. On average, 117 of them will die. Those gun violence statistics are tragic and should be dealt with by community leaders. That being said, how many victims of tongue violence are there in our communities on a daily basis? How many victims of tongue violence are there in our homes on a daily basis? How many victims of tongue violence are there in our churches on a daily basis? Leaders of our homes and of our churches, shouldn’t they be dealt with? Solomon is doing his part – if you’re opening wide your lips and crossing verbal lines, there will be a relational and spiritual price to pay.
Keep your mouth reserved for wholesome words and you’ll eat good, relationally and spiritually-speaking. “Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.” Proverbs 24:26
The language of these proverbs is intentionally graphic. Violence and destruction are serious subjects. Violence and destruction are life-altering events. They are the things the nightly news are made up of. Violence and destruction are the things entire industries are created to prevent. No one wants either of these in their home. No one wants either of these in their schools or churches. No one wants violence or destruction in their communities. The developed and civilized nations of our world have placed a great emphasis on reducing violence and destruction within their borders primarily through the governing of weapons. In our great country, gun violence has touched every city, town and village resulting in an ongoing debate over gun control. While that debate rages on, most in our great nation ignore the daily violence and destruction that is being caused by the weapon that every citizen of our nation possesses – the TONGUE.
Indeed, gun violence is destroying lives and families. Without question, it is increasing in our society. It matters and should be addressed by community leaders but the ultimate solution to gun violence is self-control. Whoever owns a gun, legally or illegally, must recognize the consequences of improperly managing that firearm. Not only can they do great harm to others but they must recognize the violence and destruction that they can bring to themselves. Yes, a person can use a firearm accidentally or intentionally to harm themselves but the violence I’m speaking about is the kind that comes as a result of harming others. Pulling the trigger out of ignorance or out of hatred to harm someone will produce a violent response from the community, by the family of the victim or ultimately by the Judge of all the Earth. For that reason, guns must be managed very carefully and be used with serious consideration of any potential ramification.
In the same way gun violence produces violence and destruction for the shooter, tongue violence produces violence and destruction for the speaker. Kind words don’t need a large opening to be projected. Honest words don’t need a broad barrel to be communicated. Loving words don’t need a wide mouth to be spoken. Wide mouths are for bombs. Large barrels are for destructive words. The bigger the mouth, the more hurtful the words. When we have to open our mouths wide to get out big and hurtful words, we’re crossing a relational line that will come back to hurt us. Verbal transgressions require “big mouths” and they destroy relationships. Big mouths spread secrets they shouldn’t spread. Big mouths spread lies that they shouldn’t spread. Big mouths say pointed things that they shouldn’t say. Big mouths project words that relationships can’t absorb and sustain. Big mouths bring violence and destruction to the relationships they’re in, which does devastating harm to the person responsible for the big mouth.
Homes aren’t built for big verbal guns. Big mouths bring violence and destruction to marriages and to families. The husband with the big mouth brings violence to HIS relationship with HIS wife and kids. The wife with the big mouth brings destruction to HER relationship with HER husband and children. The son who opens his mouth wide to get memorable things out of it will bring destruction to HIS relationship with HIS family. The woman who opens her mouth wide to get harsh things out of it will bring destruction to HER relationship with HER family. Churches are no different. Untrue or unkind things that are said are projectiles that relationships within the body of Christ can’t survive being hit by. The Christian man who doesn’t control the trigger of his tongue is going to hurt people and in the process, bring violence and destruction to his own life. The Christian woman who doesn’t respect the power of her tongue will say things that will provoke a violent response and eventually, relational destruction. On the contrary, the person that keeps his mouth will keep his relational life and his ministerial position.
Just as with gun violence, tongue violence so easily provokes further tongue violence. In a world of 8 billion souls, every person is armed with a powerful weapon in their mouth that is developed by the age of three. It is hard to keep that tongue when someone else shoots off their tongue. It is hard to keep the lips from opening wide when someone projects a cannon-ball of a statement your way. In these moments, the truth of these proverbs remains true – crossing a verbal line for any reason at any time brings violence and destruction to the transgressor. Solomon must’ve learned to pray what his father prayed for in Psalm 141:3, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” David was very conscious of the punch his tongue packed, which is why he wrote, “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a BRIDLE, while the wicked is before me” (Psalm 39:1). This is the language of the New Testament when James wrote, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to BRIDLE the whole body” (James 3:2) and “If any man among you seem to be religious, and BRIDLETH not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26).
According to the Brady Campaign, on average, 327 people are shot in American every day. On average, 117 of them will die. Those gun violence statistics are tragic and should be dealt with by community leaders. That being said, how many victims of tongue violence are there in our communities on a daily basis? How many victims of tongue violence are there in our homes on a daily basis? How many victims of tongue violence are there in our churches on a daily basis? Leaders of our homes and of our churches, shouldn’t they be dealt with? Solomon is doing his part – if you’re opening wide your lips and crossing verbal lines, there will be a relational and spiritual price to pay.
Keep your mouth reserved for wholesome words and you’ll eat good, relationally and spiritually-speaking. “Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.” Proverbs 24:26
Posted in Proverbs Commentary
Tagged with Solomon, Gun Control, Gun Violence, Tongue, Speech, words, talk, Conversation, marriage, home, family, children, relationships, violence, destruction, Churches, Secrets, Big Mouths
Tagged with Solomon, Gun Control, Gun Violence, Tongue, Speech, words, talk, Conversation, marriage, home, family, children, relationships, violence, destruction, Churches, Secrets, Big Mouths
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