Proverbs 10:8: Full in Heart (wisdom) or Full of Tongue

The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall. Proverbs 10:8

Wise: ethically and religiously

Heart: mind, knowledge

Receive: take possession of, as preliminary to further action

Commands: human or divine (collectively, the Law), law, ordinance,

Prating: babbling, talkative

Fool: who despises wisdom & discipline

Fall: ruined, thrown away

Here is, 1. The honour and happiness of the obedient. They will receive commandments; they will take it as a privilege, and really an ease to them, to be under government, which saves them the labour of deliberating and choosing for themselves; and they will take it as a favour to be told their duty and admonished concerning it. And this is their wisdom; those are wise in heart who are tractable, and those who thus bend, thus stoop, shall stand and be established, shall prosper, being well advised.

2. The shame and ruin of the disobedient, that will not be governed, nor endure any yoke, that will not be taught, nor take any advice. They are fools, for they act against themselves and their own interest; they are commonly prating fools, fools of lips, full of talk, but full of nonsense, boasting of themselves, prating spitefully against those that admonish them (3 John 1:10), and pretending to give counsel and law to others. Of all fools, none more troublesome than the prating fools, nor that more expose themselves; but they shall fall into sin, into hell, because they received not commandments. Those that are full of tongue seldom look well to their feet, and therefore stumble and fall. 

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

Full in Heart (wisdom) or Full of Tongue. 

When one is talking, they can't be listening. 

Great knowledge, if it be without vanity, is the most severe bridle of the tongue. For so have I heard, that all the noises and prating of the pool, the croaking of frogs and toads, are hushed and appeased upon the bringing upon them the light of a candle or torch. Every beam of reason and ray of knowledge checks the dissolution of the tongue. Jeremy Taylor

A holy life is a voice; it speaks when the tongue is silent, and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof. Robert Leighton 

God has given us two ears, but one tongue, to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak. God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue. Thomas Watson 

Remember that the tongue speaks only what is in the heart. Theodore Epp 

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. James 1:26 

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. James 3:6

Full in Heart (wisdom) or Full of Tongue. 

Oh, that my heart would be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), so that I would shut-up and hear God's wisdom and obey it! 

Full in Heart (wisdom) or Full of Tongue. Which are you?

Trash Wrapped in Ribbons & Bows

Throughout this year, each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The nineteenth of each month, I'm studying Psalm 15. Here's what Treasure I found today.

And do not ·tell lies about others [slander with their tongue]. They do no ·wrong [evil] to their neighbors and do not ·gossip [L raise a reproachful matter with their associates]. Psalm 15:3 (EXB)

He who does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor. Psalm 15:3 (AMB)

"Backbiteth not." This crime is a conjugation of evils, and is productive of infinite mischiefs; it undermines peace, and saps the foundation of friendship; it destroys families, and rends in pieces the very heart and vitals of charity; it makes an evil man party, and witness, and judge, and executioner of the innocent. - Bishop Taylor  

"Backbiteth." The word here used comes from a root signifying loot, and denotes a person who goes about from house to house, speaking things he should not (1 Timothy 5:13); and a word from this root signifies spies; and the phrase here may point at persons who creep into houses, pry into the secrets of families, divulge them, and oftentimes represent them in a false light. Such are ranked among the worst of men, and are very unfit to be in the society of saints, or in a church of Christ. See Romans 1:30. - John Gill

Twitter, Facebook, blogs, the internet, cell-phones, are all means of staying in contact with our friends, neighbors and even people who have like interests. But these things also make it much easier for slander, lies, and rumors to be spread. And just as when we speak, once our words are “sent”, they can not be deleted or “taken back”.  

But what I said was “true”. But beyond being “true” was it beneficial? Were the words encouraging, uplifting, positive? Or were they said to build us up, make us look better, and disgrace someone else. But I was only sharing a prayer request—really? Don’t you think God, knows the specifics without us trying to share the sins of others?

Gossip is the spreading of unfavorable information about someone else, even if that information is true. Slander is making a false statement or misrepresentation about another person that defames or damages the person’s reputation. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). This means that although we speak of the sins of the tongue, our real problem is our heart. 

Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges

Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. Ephesians 4:29 (AMP)

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Ephesians 4:29 (MSG)

Each word is a gift. We can try to wrap up gossip, slander, or harsh words with pretty ribbons and  bows of excuses and justifications, but the gift inside is still trash.  Just because something may be acceptable to us, the real question, is it acceptable to God? Since each word is a gift, to ourselves and others, we should take much care in our choice of words and their meaning. 

To create a positive day, I must allow God to censor my words to make sure that the gifts I’m sharing are acceptable to Him, and are not trash wrapped  in ribbons and bows.