The next 21 verses in Proverbs 10 with their comparisons are regarding the words that we speak. It is not the only place in Proverbs and certainly not the only place in scripture that is about the “words of our mouth”. Today I want to concentrate on verse 11 primarily so that you might understand the why this is so important to each believer, then over the next two days we will take a look at some of the verses interspersed regarding the treasures, and then briefly list some of the explicit characteristics from the “mouth of the righteous”. That should be quite a journey.
Let us try to understand why the scripture says, “Proverbs 10: (NIV) 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life”. What could that possibly mean? What is the fountain of life that this verse refers to? Perhaps that is where we can find the clue to this mystery. Let’s turn for a moment to the words found in Revelation 21: (KJV) “6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
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The fountain of life is found in Christ—bubbling up freely to all who believe and come to drink from his fountain. Just as He offered it to the woman at the well, He offers it to a world that is dying of thirst (spiritual thirst).
So what does that have to do with my mouth? This is very important—how do others hear of or know of Christ? Through the words of the gospel being spread forth—right? So, the words that flow forth from my mouth can be uplifting and glorifying to God, causing others to long to know Christ or they can be such as to hide the truth of the gospel. So, how do I control this mouth that may blurt out
things without thought or purpose? How does the language of the righteous change so that it can Glorify God? Christ gives us that answer in John 7: NIV) 37 “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[a] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” So within each believer, there is the Holy Spirit who indwells us and He is that river of living water that can pour forth through our mouths so that others might come to know the Gospel and thus our words become a fountain of life for the people we meet. Because (LUKE 6: (NIV) 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
So, this is truly a matter of the heart. Do you see Christ as your greatest treasure? Is He more important than your own desires to be acknowledged at work or among your friends? Does pride or self-arrogance stand in your way? Do you truly understand the depth of love Christ has for you? The answer to these questions truly affects how you respond to life, people, disappointments, and trials. If you love Him, trust Him, and depend fully on Him; then, you cannot help but display that outwardly. Have you ever watched a dear Saint as their eyes light up and sparkle while they tell you about what God did for them in the midst of great tragedy? Have you ever seen the wonder and awe within their eyes? You tend to forget the tragedy they are describing as they propel you into seeing the Glory of God in the midst of that tragedy. Thus “the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” as they portray Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit bubbling forth as a spring bubbles forth through the rock bringing cooling fresh water. The amazing part is that it bubbles forth without effort as the Christian grows in his sanctification with Christ. Our only righteousness is that which is given to us through salvation in Christ. It is that righteousness (Christ’s Righteousness) which can become a fountain of life to a dying world.
2 Peter 1: (ASV) “ 2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;3 seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue;4 whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.” It is purely an act of Grace and Grace alone that I have these great promises that through them I am a partaker of His Divine Nature. So my prayer is “God, let my words be your words. Let the Divine Nature which you have given me freely be the one displayed to the world. In other words God, please shut my mouth whenever I try to speak without waiting on the Spirit to speak. In all that I do and all that I say, let me reflect you are my Lord, my Savior, my love, and my King”
Over the next few days we will finish to review the hidden treasures found in the verses 11-32 and then look at some very explicit characteristics from the of how our words can be a blessing to others. I wanted to hurry on through Proverbs; but, that would be an injustice—so we will walk through these scriptures for quite a while longer.
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© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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