GET Wisdom!! - Proverbs 15:2

Are you growing wiser as you grow older?

I hope our Get Wisdom series is helping you do just that. I certainly do not want to be considered to be a fool, much less an OLD fool. Can you stand some more wisdom today from the book of Proverbs? Join me in Proverbs 15:2.

“When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive,

but stupid people spout nonsense.” (GNT)

“The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,

but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” (NKJV)

“Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;

fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.” (The Message)

“The wise person makes learning a joy;

fools spout only foolishness.” (NLT)

Nothing gets me in more trouble than my mouth! I have a small ceramic sign that my friend, Cindy, gave me that says, “Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth!” It really is a perfect prayer for me and the funny thing is that she got one for herself when she got mine.

Aren’t the ways of the Lord strange sometimes? The very thing that gets me in the most trouble is the thing that He calls me to use most in ministry. The moment I heard the call to a speaking ministry, I knew that I would constantly struggle to allow the Lord to speak through me. I have such a tendency to speak with my mouth before my heart and mind engage. Thus, very often I have wounded others with my words of nonsense.

This verse from Proverbs applies to everyone—not only speakers and teachers. Other people can learn from you and me as we allow our words to be wise, but when we do not ask God for wisdom for the words we speak, we have little to offer others that is wise.

So, what does this look like in real life? For me, it means asking God on a daily basis to pour His wisdom into me so that it flows out of me when I my mouth opens. If I am faithful to ask, He will give me what Isaiah 50: 14 (NIV) calls an instructed tongue. Consider this verse:

“The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue

to know that word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”

I want an instructed tongue so I can make knowledge and learning something that others desire…especially learning about Jesus. What about it, friend? Shall we turn off the leaky faucet of our mouth that drips nonsense and seek to pour out words of wisdom?

May I pray about this for us?

Lord, please give my friends and me your wisdom in the words that we speak. Help us have tongues that are instructed or taught by YOU. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord.

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