In San Jose, they call them, "Little Birdies." I call them Voices Demons. God calls them fools.
Let God Be True! tells us why, even though it won't seem apt to anyone but those in San Jose, me, and, of course, God:
Let God Be True! tells us why, even though it won't seem apt to anyone but those in San Jose, me, and, of course, God:
Proverbs 29:11
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
You do not have to say everything right now. Slow down! There is a time to hold back speech to yourself – there is a time to talk and tell all. Wise men know what to do before speaking and when to speak, but fools spill everything without preparation or thought.
Fools talk a lot. They cannot keep their mouths shut. Any little thought, no matter how frivolous, no matter how unstudied, no matter how inappropriate, has to come rushing out. But a wise man speaks carefully. He does not speak hastily, or without study, or offer opinions as truth. He rules his mouth to choose wise words and wait for the right timing.
A talker is a fool. If he talks arrogantly, hastily, or loudly, he has confirmed his folly even more. A fool loves the sound of his own voice, and he thinks others should love it also. He thinks he has wisdom to share, and he thinks others are blessed to hear him. So he gets angry when he is eventually isolated due to his ignorant and obnoxious speech.
Solomon said there is a time for everything: “A time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl 3:7). But knowing the right time requires discretion and prudence, two branches of wisdom the fool has never considered. As long as he has air to breathe (and a full belly helps), he will vent his pea-sized brain through his lips (Pr 30:22; Eccl 10:12-14).
If a fool could keep his mouth shut, he might be thought wise (Pr 17:27-28). But he cannot do it, for he has never held back words in his life: he has no will nor power to do so. He must pour out foolish ideas in the hope of satisfying his agitated conceit, but it will never happen; when he runs out of things to say, he keeps talking anyway (Pr 15:2).
There is nothing virtuous about being “outspoken.” It is merely another word for a fool! It would be much better to keep those words in and let them dissolve in the bile of your liver and go into the draught. It would be much better to ask the Lord to set a watch before your mouth and to keep the door of your lips (Ps 141:3). Do not speak out!
Many things – idle words, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting, backbiting, talebearing, and slander – should not be spoken (Pr 10:18; 11:13; 25:23; Matt 12:36; Eph 5:3-5). And many words raise the probability of sin (Pr 10:19; Eccl 5:3). How much damage and pain could have been avoided by restraining your words (Pr 12:18)? Therefore, the fewer, and more carefully chosen, and more slowly spoken, are your words, the better (Jas 1:19)!
A fool’s wrath is quickly known, for he cannot keep his angry words in (Pr 12:16). A fool pours out unstudied nonsense, and worse yet, his personal opinions; but a righteous man studies before answering anything (Pr 12:23; 13:16; 15:28). A fool shows his folly and shame by answering a matter even before hearing it fully presented (Pr 18:13). He cannot rule his spirit, and thus proves himself a failure and loser among men (Pr 16:32; 25:28).
Wise men restrain their speech (Pr 17:27-28). They study before answering (Pr 15:28). They are slow to speak (Jas 1:19). They choose their words carefully and wait for the right time to say them (Pr 15:23; 24:26; 25:11). Discretion and prudence are the guardians of wisdom – they restrain words and actions until you grasp a situation clearly and can wisely choose a godly response (Pr 12:23; 13:16; 14:8; 16:21; 19:11; 22:3).
Wise men keep words in “till afterwards”! After what? After they let passion dissipate and can speak prudently (Pr 19:11; Jas 1:19). After they apply Scripture to the situation and find the godly, charitable response (Ps 119:11; I Cor 13:4-7). After they have studied for an answer with the certain words of truth (Pr 15:28; 22:17-21). After they have sanctified the Lord God in their hearts (I Pet 3:15). After they have heard a matter in its entirety, and someone has sincerely asked for their response (Pr 18:13; 25:6-7).
Samson uttered all his heart, and it cost him greatly; he could not resist the provocation of Delilah to open up and spill the beans (Judges 16:17). Yet Abigail, a beautiful woman of good understanding, waited for the right time to give her husband some bad news (I Sam 25:36). The Lord told Samuel to answer Saul only part of his mind (I Sam 16:1-3); and when in court, Paul declared only part of his relationship to the Pharisees (Acts 23:6).
Christians, to be wise and avoid folly, are to be circumspect in their conduct – inspecting all the circumstances in every direction (Eph 5:15). Their words are to be predominantly gracious, with only a seasoning of salt; and the purpose is always to be edifying (Eph 4:29; Col 4:6). Can you keep from uttering all your mind today? Can you wait until you have the right words and the right opportunity to say them? Help, O Lord.
Proverbs 16:27
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
Many today love to find others’ failures. They then must share the gossip with yet others. But God and Solomon declare that such people are ungodly. Are you one of them?
If your goal is to be noble and virtuous, hate the thought of digging up evil in someone else’s life, and also hate the common desire to spread these findings. Such perverse persons are far from wisdom and success. God and good men hate these talebearers.
Wicked people love the sins of others. They look for them; they listen for them; they dig for them. They are drawn to them like sharks or hyenas to blood. They rejoice when someone falls. They hunt for sins; they eavesdrop on conversations; they snoop. They recall ancient sins. They spread the failures by backbiting, talebearing, and whispering.
A fire burns in the lips of these ungodly wretches: they must spread the sins they discover (Ps 39:1-3). The desire to backbite, tattle, whisper, and slander overwhelms them. They love to expose others’ failures. They have no conscience. They enjoy destroying peace and reputations. They are brute beasts with twisted hearts. The blackness of their souls is matched only by the blackness of their eternity (II Pet 2:17; Jude 1:13; Rev 21:8,27).
Envy, self-righteousness, and cruelty control these persons. They live in constant envy, for they resent the superiority of others. They are losers, and they can only justify their existence by destroying the reputations of others. They think themselves righteous, when they can reveal the secret sins of another, though their hearts have more wickedness than any of their victims. They are cruel without regard for the pain and damage they cause.
Solomon warned often about wicked talkers (Pr 6:12-19; 12:18; 16:28; 17:9; 18:8; 26:20-22). So did other Bible writers (Ps 52:2-4; 57:4; Rom 1:29-30; II Cor 12:20; I Tim 6:3-5). God’s repetition and emphasis tells you it is a common and serious sin. Isaiah ripped those that make a man an offender for a word or for a minor fault (Is 29:20-21). James called the tongue a world of iniquity set on fire of hell (Jas 3:6). Are you one of them?
Two lessons can be taken from this proverb. First, you should scrupulously avoid ever sharing negative information about another person unless it is absolutely necessary, as in a court case where you are sworn to reveal to proper authorities a person’s actions. Any sharing beyond this should be carefully examined as to motive and consequences, so that you will not be guilty of damaging another’s reputation or hardening your conscience.
Second, if you observe or hear someone spreading faults about another person, you have found an ungodly man. Shut his mouth with righteous anger, as Solomon taught you (Pr 25:23). Reject him from your company, as David would (Ps 101:1-8). God hates these scoundrels, and so should you (Pr 6:12-19; Ps 15:1-5; 139:19-22). Make sure you diligently try to protect the reputations and souls of others at all times. God bless you.