PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

“The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness” (Proverbs 10:31-32 KJV).

In some of those Moslem countries they cut hands off for stealing. It is certainly a very effective deterrent to crime. This will also be one of the forms of punishment during the Millennium: “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 KJV).

It would appear that a man, rather than go to hell, would rather pluck out his eyes or cut out his tongue.

“The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,” that is the textbook definition of discretion right there. They don’t use wicked, vulgar language. They know what is acceptable to God and they know what is right. They know how to talk.

“. . . but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness.”

In this world today you can go into a hardware store or some business and run into a grown man cussing up a stream with all kinds of foul words, and young children in hearing distance. Some of the laws of our country are dearly missed. Used to be a man could be arrested for having a filthy mouth in public.

Criminals and lost people had more discretion fifty years ago, sadly, then many Christians do today. Fifty years ago, no man—no matter how wicked he was—would talk filthy in front of a woman or children. That is not only a complete lack of discretion but a total absence of any self-worth on the part of the individual.

People have a total disregard for material, for property, for people, nothing counts any more—nothing is valuable any more.

“The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,” so they tell people how to get saved—they tell them the truth.

“. . . but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness,” bad counsel, crooked speech, speaking lies. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matthew 7:17 KJV). Even when they don’t want to, they still do. They speak forwardness, they can’t do anything but that. The heart is not right, the attitude is not right, so no matter what they say—no matter what their motive might be, he is an unsaved man and he cannot please God.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.