Talking is a big part of our lives. We use our words to communicate throughout the day and night. Sociologists tell us that women use more words each day than men do. Seems men are not as communicative as women. Whether male and female, we all use words.
Today's passage affirms the fact that those who walk closely with the Lord use their words to bring forth wisdom. The Hebrew word for "bring forth" means to bear fruit. The picture we are given is of a righteous person who naturally says good things because of the condition of his heart, just as a fruit tree naturally brings forth it's particular fruit. Just as lemon trees naturally produce lemons and apple trees produce apples, the righteous person brings forth wisdom with his words.
It is actually the opposite for the wicked. The word "perverse" means to turn away from what is natural. The person who turns away from the Lord will not be able to use his words for what is right and natural. The wicked use their words to twist truth, tell lies, tear down, and avoid being known. Deception and destruction are not God's desire for us as we interact with Him and others. He desires truth from us. He wants us to know one another and to be known. That cannot happen if we use our words as weapons.
You and I will use a lot of words today. The ladies will use more than the men but that is perfectly okay. The amount of words doesn't matter, but rather the quality of the words. Will we use our words in the proper way or in a perverse way? Will we deliver fruitful words or hurtful words today? Either way, the quality of our words will reveal the condition of our hearts. Hopefully, the condition of our hearts reveal a God given righteousness rather than a wickedness that stems from rebellion against the Lord.
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