What does Proverbs 25:18 teach about the power of our words? Verse text “Like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow, is the man who bears false witness against his neighbor.” (Proverbs 25:18) Understanding the imagery • Club – a crushing, blunt-force weapon • Sword – a slashing, close-range blade • Sharp arrow – a long-range, piercing projectile Together they picture every way a person can be hurt: blunt trauma, slicing laceration, or internal puncture. Words can inflict any of these invisible—but very real—injuries. Truth about false witness • “False witness” is deliberate misrepresentation (Exodus 20:16). • It is an act of violence, not merely bad manners. • God equates lying about someone with wielding a deadly weapon. Our words can wound deeply • Wounds of reputation—destroying trust, careers, friendships • Wounds of spirit—discouraging hearts, breeding anxiety or shame • Wounds of community—splitting churches, families, teams Implications for daily speech • Accuracy matters; half-truths still hurt. • Tone matters; sarcasm can slice like a sword. • Motive matters; gossip fires arrows from a distance. • Silence can heal; withholding a damaging story may spare a soul. Examples from Scripture • Joseph’s brothers lied to Jacob (Genesis 37:31-33) → decades of grief. • Jezebel’s false witnesses condemned Naboth (1 Kings 21:8-13) → innocent blood. • The false accusations against Jesus (Mark 14:55-59) → crucifixion. • By contrast, Jesus “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Complementary verses • Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” • James 3:5-6 – the tongue is “a fire…setting the whole course of life on fire.” • Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor.” • Ephesians 4:29 – speak “only what is helpful for building others up.” Steps to guard our tongue 1. Examine motives before you speak. 2. Verify facts; refuse to pass on rumors. 3. Ask, “Will this build up or break down?” 4. Invite accountability—let trusted believers correct you. 5. Saturate your heart with truth (Psalm 119:11); what fills the heart flows from the mouth (Luke 6:45). Takeaway Proverbs 25:18 teaches that words are never harmless. They can crush, slash, or pierce just as surely as weapons. God calls us to use our tongues, not for hidden violence, but for life-giving truth, reflecting the character of the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). |
    |