The tongue

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

THE TONGUE

Prov 25:23

23 As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks.

NIV

It may not be true throughout the world about the north wind bringing rain, but as our historians tell us because there was a water north of Jerusalem the wind coming out of the north brought the water with it in the form of rain. The point is the reader at that time understand how true this statement about the north wind was. So then the second part of the statement carried the same truth. It is a fact in other words that a sly tongue brings angry looks. Many of the translations use the word backbiting tongue as it seems the original language carries the idea of a secret place. Thus a secret tongue, telling things in secret, behind someone’s back has the meaning of backbiting, or sly. This certainly brings light once again on gossip, which is telling stories about someone when they are not there, especially if those stories are of sorted behaviors. James tells us it is difficult to tame that tongue.

James 3:8

8 but no man can tame the tongue . It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

NIV

This is certainly true about the backbiting ability of this tongue. James goes on to tell us that we use the tongue to praise God and then to curse men, or gossip about them, and he says that it should not be. Of course those stories only have value if there are ears eager to listen. If we did not listen to slander there would be no place for it to speak. The idea about the angry looks is when the one who is slandered or gossiped about finds out the tales of their behaviors, certainly would be upset to say the least. How hurtful it is to reveal anything about another without their consent. Again, if those ears would put voice to refusal to listen, the voice of the slanderer would be silenced and an angry look would be avoided. But the truth is those sly tongues do their work, because they are sly. They bring the news in forms which are somewhat deceptive in their purpose. They are secretive in why they are telling the story. Sometimes they hide it within a prayer request. Sometimes it is hidden in other ways, so the itching ears are eager to listen. Let us not be so eager to hear any news about another. It does either us or the sly tongue any good. Even if the north wind is true, let us serve to undo any truth about this tongue, especially if it is ours.