What does Proverbs 10:21 teach about the power of wise speech? The Text Itself “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” (Proverbs 10:21) What Wise Speech Accomplishes • Feeds—like bread, it sustains hearts, clears minds, strengthens faith • Multiplies—“many” benefit; one righteous voice can nourish crowds • Preserves—offers truth that guards hearers from spiritual starvation and ruin Why Wise Speech Carries Such Power • Rooted in truth (John 17:17); truth always gives life • Flows from a righteous character (Luke 6:45); the tongue reveals the heart • Backed by God’s own wisdom (James 3:17); heaven’s authority travels in every word The Dark Contrast • Foolish words starve; nothing nourishing in error or mockery • “Fools die for lack of sense” points to both physical and eternal consequences (Proverbs 18:7) Living It Out Today • Let Scripture shape your vocabulary; memorize, meditate, then speak (Psalm 119:11) • Address needs, not curiosities—speak to strengthen, correct, comfort, inspire • Filter every sentence through love and truth (Ephesians 4:15) • Choose timing wisely; even the right words spoil when served at the wrong moment (Proverbs 15:23) Echoes Across Scripture • “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21) • “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24) • “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6) • “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man.” (James 3:2) Wise lips are God’s chosen instrument for spreading life. When our words are righteous, people around us thrive; when they are foolish, destruction follows. Choose life-giving speech. |
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