Proverbs 10:20 Choice silver_

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. Proverbs‬ ‭10:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Holy Spirit within me is a stream which flows out of me, like a river. And from His presence come good things. John talks about this fountain:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. John‬ ‭7:37-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬

Choice silver, is the value to which Solomon likens our words. In another context it could be cool water, or a warm meal, or laughter, or anything else that meets the need of the moment. God supplies good things. He’s in the moment. But choice silver is also good. It reflects something that was mined. Refined. And carefully handled.

Solomon contrasts our tongue and our heart. What proceeds to the tongue comes from the heart. He’s really contrasting two sources. As beautiful and smart and crafty as we came into this world, the heart is small (the meaning of the Hebrew for “little value”). Refined abundance cannot come from scarcity. When I hear another and it sounds like rusted iron, or grating metal, it makes me deeply appreciate the moments I hear words like “choice silver.” It is no accident. Yet, through no merit of our own, as we sit under the well of His presence, we too become a well of, in this case, choice silver — for any situation we are in. It erupts with value to those around us.