The Words of the Righteous
- Bishop Keith Butler
- Mar 6, 2024
- 2 min read
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:11)
When God created humanity, He gave us the ability and authority to use speech to enact change in the world (see Genesis 1:26). Proverbs confirms this precept by letting us know that the words of the righteous are not just sounds and thoughts that come out of their mouths. Instead, they are a life-giving force that God gave each of us. Proverbs 10:11 invites us to consider the authority and blessing we can spread through our speech. You can uplift, encourage, and bring life to the people around you through the words that you release in an atmosphere.
Being a righteous person means our words are a source of God’s life to those around us. The righteous man doesn't engage in negativity, complaining, or judging others. These result from the wicked’s words. Those with no relationship with God are known to spew out dangerous and harsh words that hurt others without a thought of remorse for the damage their words have caused. In fact, the wicked do not consider that their speech is affecting anyone other than themselves.
But how do the righteous find the right words to say? The world often turns to various authors of assorted books for insights into what to say and how to act and how to influence others, but the Bible is the only book you need to consult about how we are called to interact with one another.
Practical Application
As you read your Bible this week, take a moment to think about what this Scripture is telling you about how to connect with and treat others. How is the Holy Spirit directing me to speak, act, or connect through the Word?
