Thought for the Day

Verse 21 - The wise in heart are called "prudent." This kind of wisdom comes from the Lord, who places it in our hearts when we seek Him. There is another kind of wisdom that the Bible calls earthly, sensual, and devilish. It produces strife, confusion, and every evil work. "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James 3:13-18).

Learning to control what we say is the first step in gaining godly wisdom. God's wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, and merciful. It bears good fruit. It is impartial and has no hypocrisy. A wise person is a good learner and listener. Proverbs has much to say about wisdom and understanding; both are increased by the words we hear and speak.

Verse 22 - A fool is rebellious and unteachable. It is a waste of time to try to instruct him. If we take the time to attentively study God's Word, then understanding will rise within us, becoming a wellspring from which we may draw upon in life's situations.

Verse 23 - If we are wise, we will stop and think before we say something. People who just blurt out what comes into their head when they are upset invariably cause damage with their mouths. The wise are able to persuade others to their way of thinking by presenting things in a winsome way.

Verse 24 - Like honey, wholesome words are sweet to the mind and bring healing to the body. Harboring resentment and bitterness leads to harsh words. Cruel words, repeated over and over, can produce physical illness or bring other curses, both to the recipient and the speaker. No one likes to associate with those who have ugly dispositions and who continually voice destructive or even unpleasant things. Two ways to guard our hearts are by being careful to quickly forgive others and by watching what we say. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee" (Proverbs 4:23-24).