DEVOTION
PROVERBS
WORDS MEAN SOMETHING
Prov 18:4
4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of
wisdom is a bubbling brook.
NIV
Once again it seems we could see a saying of Solomon in a sort of two
fold twist. It could be seen as one thought about wisdom or a comparison of language
of folly and wisdom. We think the second is the intent of Solomon. The deep
waters relate to that which is deep or that which is absent of light. As we are
familiar from recent exploration of the depths of the oceans we know at a
certain depth darkness overtakes any penetration the light has in the water.
There are even discoveries of some species of fish who have no eyes as they
have no need of them living in the darkness of the waters. We could say that
the words of a man’s mouth have great depth. That is people of great intellectual
prowess speak of very weighty matters. But it may be nothing more the physio-babble
because those words lack the insight of the Spirit as well as this would agree
with the idea of great darkness. No, the words of a man’s mouth without the
insight of the Holy Spirit are just simply filled with darkness. They are
therefore void of any light, they have nothing which benefits either themselves
or others. However, the fountain of
wisdom is a bubbling brook which is clear and running through the land giving
life to everything that lives along it shore. Jesus has referred to himself as
the spring of living water.
John 4:10
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the
gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water ."
NIV
John 7:37-39
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a
loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to
me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of
living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who
believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been
given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
NIV
The prophet Jeremiah spoke of him well in advance of his coming.
Jer 2:13
13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the
spring of living water , and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that
cannot hold water.
NIV
We also know from our research the 1st Psalm as well as
Jeremiah both refer to the spring of living water which the tree sends it roots
into and its leaves remain green and it never fails to bear fruit. All this
points to the truth that with the Spirit who leads us into all truth our words
should be a well spring, a fountain of wisdom which gives life to all who live
by our shore. This would imply all the people we live our life with, those we
encounter throughout our daily lives. Those who have the streams of living
water flowing from within us give life to others, our words give encouragement,
and they give the words which lead people to this stream of living water, Jesus.
This is true wisdom, the word of God. There is no greater wisdom then knowing Jesus.
What supposed wisdom of this world can give a person eternal life? All the knowledge
of this world, all the words of man can only bring darkness, but the wisdom
that flows from God and from the mouths of those enlightened by the Spirit give
life, eternal life.
Ps 19:14
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing
in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
NIV
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