In my reading today of Proverbs, I came across two verses that caused me to pause.
People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace. The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. – Proverbs 10:10-11,
- People who wink at wrong – Who might people like this be? Might they be people who see no wrong? Might they be people who intentionally practice wrong? Might they be people who ignore what they know to be wrong? They might! One thing is for sure, they are people who give wrong nothing more than a gesture, a kind of moral laissez-faire. It is empowered passivity that leads to feelings of indifference for those who actually reprove wrong and evil.
- Bold reproof promotes peace – So the first part of the verse highlighted a type of person or persons but the second part highlights an action. Therefore the contrast is one of inaction in relation to a known wrong and the other is an action toward a known wrong. I wonder what “bold reproof” looks like? Whatever it is, it makes such a powerful statement that peace is promoted just practicing this action.
- The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain – So the first verse caused me to reflect but this verse has caused me pause. As a “godly” person, are my words a “life-giving fountain”? Clearly, the differentiation is identifiable through our words. King David understood the difference between the godly and the wicked, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) Jesus cautioned us concerning our words as well, “I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak.” (Matthew 12:36) So, am I speaking life or not? In order for our words to be life-giving fountains we need to be speaking to God on a regular basis, examining ourselves, and reviewing our responses. Otherwise…
- The words of the wicked conceal violent intentions– Here again we see the power of words. Not only do we see their power but we see their deceit, for the words of the wicked “conceal” violent intentions. In other words, the wicked know what to say, when to say it, to whom they should be speaking, and do it all with violent intentions. I wonder what “violent intentions” look like? Even more, am I capable of violent intentions? Does my will lean more toward that which is life-giving or that which is violent?
As I said, these reflections and readings have caused me pause today. Hopefully, they touch you deeply as well.
I do want to revisit the reality that “the words of the godly are a “life-giving fountain”. Have you ever had any one speak life into you and to do so constantly or consistently? This is what is meant by life-giving fountain.
Years before I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, an old lady who lived across the parking lot of our apartment complex went out of her way to invite me over daily and read through the Bible. She reminded me of my own grandmother, and being 9 years old living in Colorado while my Granny lived in Pensacola made visiting with this elderly woman easy. The Bible we used was a new 1979, King James Version. As we started reading together, I remember thinking this was stupid but I enjoyed visiting with her because her apartment was decorated much like my Granny’s house. She had nick-knacks on her shelves, little round rugs on top of her carpeted floors, the lighting was dim and her T.V. was an old Black and White with dust all over it. At the end of one year and not long before we moved away, the old lady entrusted her Bible to me with a very nice inscription that was written as a blessing from God.
I still have that old Bible. It is a fond memory from a time when a little old lady took time out of her day to read through the Bible in a year with a little boy that she thought needed it, for whatever reason. We also prayed together on more than one occasion and shared a cup of tea. To this day, I am convinced that God placed the old lady from Colorado in that apartment across the street from my own in 1979 and for the reason of being a life-giving fountain in my young life. Nine years later, God changed my life by drawing me to Himself through the friendship and testimonies of others, but I have never forgotten the old lady from Colorado.
What opportunities might God have placed before you to be a source for Him and a life-giving fountain? If you do not know, pray and ask God to place someone in your life that you can be a fountain for and toward. It would also be a good idea to pray and ask for God to show you who has been that life-giving fountain for you.
Here at VTC, we would love to hear who has been a Life-giving Fountain for you. Feel free to share in the comment section examples or stories of people who filled this role in your life and thank you for praying for us as we continue to try to be a Life-giving Fountain to Veterans and their families.
