January 18, 2022

Proverbs 10:11-14 (HCSB)
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses. 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense. 14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.

Jason Ricciardi - I’ve been one to put my foot in my mouth.  Shocking, right?  I may be delusional, but I think we’ve all been there – when you say exactly what you wanted in just the way you wanted with the exact effect you wanted.  Chances are, you feel TERRIBLE after you walk away.  Sadly, the ones that love me most often get my worst. There are also moments we unknowingly wound – a joke that cut deeply, a sore spot we poke, or saying too much “truth” without enough love.  I usually find out about these instances after the fact and NOT from the one I’ve actually wounded – probably because their emotions are still too raw.   See, there is a word used twice in this passage – wisdom.  Wisdom is not just knowing the right thing but actually doing it.  God is the source of wisdom – we can fail in our attempts to love when we INTENTIONALLY don’t do the right thing.  We can also fail UNINTENTIONALLY.  If you want to love others well, you must stay plugged into God – He’ll give you strength to love well and the ability to know how to love in the first place.