Proverbs 12:19 To infinity and beyond!
Truthful lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment. Proverbs 12:19 (NASB)
The Emphasized Bible says:
A lip that is faithful shall be firm to futurity, but only for a twinkling (while I wink) is a tongue that is false. Proverbs 12:19 (Rotherham)
When something is “established forever” it means it persists and remains, compared to those things that appears “for only a moment” or vanishes quickly. “A lip that is faithful” is a heart and value for that which is true. Truth lasts. Why? Because it’s real. Present. Upon inspection it remains intact. A lie is not true, but something manufactured for a moment. For a particular and selfish cause. When you open your eyes and look for it, or shine a light upon it, it isn’t there.
This proverb is not just about truth or lies, it’s about the of people aligned with them and the length of their impact. Every day I may walk toward what is true, real, life-giving, or what is obscure, hidden, and self-serving. Clinging to “facts” doesn’t mean I have truthful lips. I may see a person with a face damaged in an auto accident. It’s a fact this one’s beauty may not be magazine material, but to express that fact is not helpful. But the truth is: skin is only microns deep. It’s temporary and our heart, mind, and soul are eternal, which God finds extraordinarily valuable. Valuable enough to spend what is most valuable to Him to purchase something else that is of incredible value. Aligning with God’s values allows me to interpret “facts” through the lens of truth.
The symbolism Solomon uses makes me smile. The expression “while I wink,” means, at the blink of an eye, or for a moment. I see a mischievous person telling a story or explaining something that is absurd, then winking, as if to say, “I’m having some fun.” Which to another means, you are pulling my leg and are full of it! Lies can be a playful way to communicate, or gravely misleading. Either way, it doesn’t last. It makes me think of the times I obfuscate my real motivation. Maybe I’m afraid to reveal what I really want, or I am intent on getting my way, even if it means I’m not fully truthful. And in this, I align with something temporary, fleeting, and dark.
So often “truth” speaks of things I cannot see. The only way I can speak it is if it has made its way into my heart. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” To know him, his heart and his kingdom, allow me to see what is real, even if it looks like it contradicts the facts. For example, he says, “He who believes in me will never die,” but the facts show, everyone dies. The reality is, once the body ceases function, no one can see what happens to our souls. But Jesus is certain, “you will not die!” From difficulty, despair and death on this earth, Jesus tells me I have life, victory, and richness in heaven. He’s given me gigabit download speeds to the internet of heaven in the Holy Spirit. It’s my choice to align with truth and speak it, and enjoy… futurity!