Trouble on our Lips

"Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble."

Proverbs 21:23

This one seems pretty self-explanatory. But realistically we all need this reminder. After all, life happens. People will say things that we disagree with. Things will happen that blatantly make us angry. On days when not everything goes our way, we can save ourselves loads of self-inflicted grief by not voicing every thought that passes through us. And even if nothing remotely bad occurred to us throughout the day, we have more than enough talent at finding trouble on our own. It comes quite naturally to our humanity. After all,

"How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell."

James 3.5b-6

Should we wish to increase the peace in and around us, we would do well to take Solomon's advice, thus avoiding the hazardous flames that often erupt, even unintentionally, from our draconian lips.

Bibliography


ESV Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001. Kindle.
 

Standing in the Gap

"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Proverbs 31.8-9

Let us not forget, brothers and sisters, that God's word is a call to action. As we study Scripture, we never once find that God calls us into relationship with Him so that we can sit comfortably in our city on a hill, overlooking the strife and heartache in the valley below us. Rather, time and time again, we find that God desires "steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6.6). Jesus appalled the Pharisees with the truth that He came not for those who are well, but "for those who are sick" (Matthew 9.10-13). He later told His disciples that "as you did it [provided for] to one of the least of these my brothers [the hungry, the thirsty, the helpless, the oppressed], you did it to Me" (Matthew 25.31-46). After the arrival of the Holy Spirit, we find that those who believed shared everything they had to meet the needs of those in their community (Acts 4.32-35). We see this passion of the early Church compelled by the Holy Spirit throughout the New Testament.

So today, how can we actively, intentionally advocate for our community? How can we be "the mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute." This call may look different in each of our individual contexts, or we may find that it is time to band together for even greater impact. Regardless, may the Holy Spirit give us guidance and courage to actively minister in this way!

Bibliography


ESV Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001. Kindle.