PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Proverbs 25:11 KJV).

Can you visualize apples of gold in a painting or sculpture of silver? As in a silver basket or bowl? What a beautiful combination of color and images! So are words well spoken!

As the next verse shows, Solomon again used a simile to praise and encourage good speech, though there he used “as” to show the simile. Still using gold, he compared it to fine jewelry. You should easily get the lesson of learning good speech.

A “word fitly spoken” would be the right thing said at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, in the right way, and for the right purpose. For something to be right, everything about it must be right. “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2 KJV).

“A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” (Proverbs 15:23 KJV).

I can’t imagine why, but the Bible correctors have a field day with this verse: Consider, “Most writers contend that “apples” from the Hebrew word “tappuach” was not our apple but possibly the orange, or more probably the apricot. Tristram (writing in “Land of Israel”) says, “I have no hesitation in expressing my conviction that the apricot alone is the ‘apple’ of Scripture . . . Everywhere the apricot is common; perhaps it is, with the single exception of the fig, the most abundant fruit of the country.” And God’s people said, “So what?” My Bible says apple, I’ll go with apple. Oh yes, and there are some that contend that Eve didn’t really eat an apple, maybe a banana. Whatever! The fact is that she sinned, Adam sinned, and plunged the whole world into the wages of sin. Genesis 1-6 is no myth, and folks believe that to their own destruction.

“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things” (Proverbs 15:28 KJV).

One misconception is that our verse is speaking only of bright, uplifting words that make people smile and feel good. Nope, a fitly spoken word is a word of truth and the truth sometimes is painful. To tell a man that he is a lost, hell-bound sinner may not be considered happy talk, but then, neither is a doctor informing his patient that he has an aggressive form of a disease which will take his life unless he makes drastic changes in his life. In both cases, the result of telling someone the truth may well be the best news that person has ever heard. I am so glad that someone presented me with the Gospel, and though it was quite a bitter pill to swallow at the beginning—it is sweetness to my soul.

Three things are needed to have a word fitly spoken:

1. It must be a wise word. It must fit the context of the situation. Not all verses will be appropriate for all occasions. It is probably not a good use of Romans 8:28 to tell a grieving widow, “All things work together for good!” It may be true, but not timely. 2. It must be delicate. Again, it may be true doctrinally, but it is not wise to walk up to a stranger and say, “Hey, you need to get saved or you can go to hell.” The same truth may be communicated but with different words. 3. It must be true. We must never, knowingly or unknowingly, substitute our opinion for God’s eternal Word.

Don’t look for words fitly spoken by the false feel good TV evangelists like Joel Olsteen. A lie will never fit. If you want to hear words fitly spoken, attend a Bible-believing local New Testament church on a regular basis

Daily Bible study is necessary if we are going to begin our day with the right attitude and the right spiritual diet. Proverbs has 31 chapters, and most months have 31 days, so let's read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let's keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread! Ideally, a chapter or two of Proverbs will fit in nicely with a good plan of reading our Bibles through each year.

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