How can Proverbs 21:28 guide our interactions in the workplace? Getting the verse in view Proverbs 21:28: “A false witness will perish, but the man who listens will speak with wisdom.” what the verse presses on us at work • Truth-telling isn’t optional; God ties our longevity and credibility to it. • Listening is more than polite—it is the gateway to speaking “with wisdom.” • A workplace culture shaped by these two commitments keeps us from the ruin that swallows “a false witness.” recognizing false witness on the job • Deliberate lies in reports, emails, or meetings • Half-truths that hide important facts or inflate results • Gossip that colors a coworker’s reputation without evidence (Proverbs 16:28) • Blame-shifting when projects fail (Exodus 20:16 echoes here) choosing the listening path instead • Slow down: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19). • Verify: ask clarifying questions before repeating information. • Weigh motives: am I speaking to serve or to shine? (Philippians 2:3-4) • Invite counsel: wise colleagues help us “speak with wisdom” (Proverbs 15:22). practical habits that live out Proverbs 21:28 1. Begin each day resolving to report facts exactly as they are—no spin. 2. When tension rises, listen until you can state the other person’s view fairly. 3. Keep documentation; it protects against accidental misrepresentation. 4. If you discover you have passed along error, correct it immediately (Ephesians 4:25). 5. Praise publicly only what you have confirmed privately. 6. In performance reviews, ground every commendation or critique in specific evidence. 7. Shut down gossip graciously: “I’m not sure we have all the facts—let’s check.” 8. Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no (Matthew 5:37); colleagues notice. the payoff Scripture promises • Integrity builds trust that outlasts fleeting successes (Proverbs 12:19). • Listening first equips us to offer words “like apples of gold” (Proverbs 25:11). • God Himself defends truthful speakers; the liar faces certain collapse (Proverbs 10:9). • A reputation for honesty adorns the gospel we carry (Titus 2:10). When we let Proverbs 21:28 steer our workplace interactions, we trade the shaky ground of false witness for the solid footing of attentive, wise speech—and the Lord honors it. |
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