What is the meaning of Proverbs 15:7? the lips of the wise spread knowledge Proverbs 15:7 opens with a vivid image: “The lips of the wise spread knowledge”. God paints wisdom as something actively distributed through speech. • Wisdom shows itself in words that build up (Proverbs 10:31; Ephesians 4:29). • The verb “spread” pictures sowing seed, echoing Jesus’ parable of the sower—good seed produces good fruit (Matthew 13:23). • Knowledge here means truth grounded in God’s revelation, not mere data; wise lips align with Psalm 19:7–10, where God’s Word is called perfect and trustworthy. • When wisdom speaks, it guides others toward life (Proverbs 13:14) and salvation through Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). • Paul urges believers, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… teaching and admonishing one another” (Colossians 3:16). Wise lips echo that command, faithfully transmitting Scriptural truth. but not so the hearts of fools The second half drives home the contrast: while wisdom pours out truth, “not so the hearts of fools.” • The fool’s problem is internal; his heart—seat of thoughts and desires—holds no truth worth sharing (Romans 1:21–22). • Jesus warned, “For the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart” (Matthew 12:34). Empty hearts produce empty words, or worse, words that mislead (Proverbs 12:23; 18:2). • Fools may talk much (Ecclesiastes 10:14), but their speech lacks the life-giving power of Scripture because they reject God’s authority (Proverbs 1:7). • The absence of knowledge in a fool’s heart means even silence can be safer than speaking (Proverbs 17:28), yet fools rarely choose it. summary Proverbs 15:7 draws a simple, stark line. Wise people, rooted in God’s Word, can’t help but let that truth flow from their lips, enriching everyone around them. Fools, disconnected from divine wisdom, have empty hearts and therefore nothing life-giving to share. Choose wisdom—fill your heart with Scripture, and your lips will naturally spread the knowledge that honors God and blesses others. |
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