#DailyDevotion How Will You Use Your Mouth Today?

June 22nd
Read Prov 25:1–22
Pro 25:9-15 ESV Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, (10) lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end. (11) A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (12) Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. (13) Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. (14) Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. (15) With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.

When Jesus tells us in Matt. 18 that if we see a brother sin go and show him his sin in private, he wasn’t saying anything new. This had been known for at least 800 years before Jesus uttered those words. But few actually ever practice it. We prefer like the news today to judge a man/woman in the court of public opinion instead. We’ll talk about the problem on the phone. We’ll twitter or facebook about it for the whole world to see, but rarely will be go and talk to the person in private to bring about reconciliation.

Paul even teaches us that if we can bear it, put up with the brother, forgive and forget. That is, we don’t even bring it up but act as if it never happened. But few are able to do this without resentment.

So you can fit golden apples in settings of silver or spread horse manure. You can be like a gold ring or an ornament of gold or like vomit. It’s your choice. How are you going to use your words today? You can refresh the souls around you or be a nag. You could persuade rulers with patience and break bones with a soft tongue, i.e. bring people to repentance and faith.

We must remember how did God reprove us? In what manner has Jesus brought our faults to us and to our attention? How did he forgive us when we sinned against him by sinning against our neighbor? We too must reprove sin if we think it will lead them away from Christ Jesus and must speak the sweet words of forgiveness. When a sin is against us personally, we must sacrifice our right to vengeance and pour out grace upon our enemy even as our Lord Jesus Christ died for us without us even asking him to do it. Giving up our right to vengeance, to gossip, slander and the like is living in the life of Christ Jesus.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant us your life that we may forgive and forget or at the very least keep things private between ourselves and the people who sin against us. Amen.