A Fool’s Mouth Brings Destruction
May 9, 2020
Commentary
We are often confronted in Scripture with the evil that the tongue inflicts on others. A fool finds himself constantly in trouble because he speaks from a heart that is corrupt. In fact his mouth eventually will lead him to destruction if he is not brought to repentance. His speech is made up of slander and scandal because his heart is filled with what is unholy and perverse (vv. 6-7).
HE WHO THINKS BY THE INCH AND TALKS BY THE YARD DESERVES TO BE KICKED BY THE FOOT.
The fool seems to enjoy listening to the gossiper and swallows every words as if it is delicious food (v. 8). Like food being digested this gossiped news is retained and remembered. Half truths as they are retold by gossipers become full blown lies and the lives of innocent people are destroyed. It only takes a talebearer a few minutes to tear down the character of a person that it has taken him years to build up. That is why throughout the Word of God the sin of gossip is condemned over and over again. Being lazy is no different from being a troublemaker (v. 9. The LORD is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety (v. 10). the rich think their money is a wall of protection (v. 11). They think that their wealth is their strongest defense but they are sadly mistaken. The government may cease to back it, thieves may steal it, inflation may rob it of all value, however God never loses His power. Pride leads to destruction; humility leads to honor (v. 12).
Application
My lips can be used for either praising the Lord or in bringing reproach to His name. I need to be careful that what I say today will cause people to want to follow the Lord?
Proverbs 18:6– 12 (NET)
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, and his mouth invites a flogging.
7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin, and his lips are a snare for his life.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; and they have gone down into the person’s innermost being.
9 The one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is like a strong tower; the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.
11 The wealth of a rich person is like a strong city, and it is like a high wall in his imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor.
Illustration:
Before we are too harsh in judging those scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, let’s stop and look at ourselves. All too many Christians today go to church to find fault, to gossip, and to criticize. Warren Wiersbe, in his book Angry People, wrote, “An incident in the life of Joseph Parker, the great British preacher, illustrates this tragic truth. He was preaching at the City Temple in London. After the service one of the listeners came up to him and said, ’Dr. Parker, you made a grammatical error in your sermon.’ He then proceeded to point out the error to the pastor. Joseph Parker looked at the man and said, ’And what else did you get out of the message?’ What a fitting rebuke!” (Warren Wiersbe).