Proverbs 10:32 Words_

The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.‭‭ Proverbs‬ ‭10:32‬ ‭NASB ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

It’s fitting to end chapter 10 with a Proverb about our words. Rotherham translates it: “The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing, but the mouth of the lawless speaks perversities.” Lips don’t know anything, but people do. Why do our lips, our mouth or words get credit – or take the fall? The type of life I live, the values I choose, the person I become may all be understood by what I do – the actions that flow from my life. And there is no more concentrated expression and window to those values than the words I speak. They are often the gateway to action, whether good or bad.

I want to visit that internal process, for a moment, of how people “own” a value and become a particular type of character, whether righteous or wicked. When Moses was leading Israel and encouraging the nation to love and follow God, he said:

For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach… but the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. Deuteronomy 30:10,14

He connects the heart and the mouth. And Paul does the same thing when talking about believing in Christ:

…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:8-10‬ ‭NASB‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The word Paul uses for “confess” is homologeo: from homo meaning the same, and logos, meaning word, or: to say the same thing as another, to agree with, assent, not to refuse or deny, to profess – often meaning covenant acknowledgement.

James describes the process in a different light:

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. James‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭NASB‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The word lust in English is colored negatively, but the Greek simply means passionate desire. It is used in both positive and negative contexts. So the process of becoming wicked or righteous begins with the values in the heart and a resulting conviction that “I want something.” We are defined by our desire. Like little embers that are blown to a flame, desire turns to action. And our first action is often with the mouth, a confession, or declaration of something.

Words are powerful. Once spoken, they define what is in my heart, incite action, and define character. When Solomon points to good or bad words coming out of people, he’s identifying the tip of the iceberg – but the substance of those words comes from a huge mass of life lived below the surface, the internal route which a person has taken, all the little choices one has made which result in the sum of who he or she is. He started Proverbs (chapters 1-9) encouraging the behavior and values that would affect our character – in essence, the ground floor of our soul. During the rest of the book of Proverbs, starting in this chapter, he demonstrates how those different choices play out.

Back to the verse — when speaking of the righteous, it’s understandable that they speak what is “acceptable.” Within the people of God is a good field in which the Father sows good seed. From it comes a crop of good produce. And with that crop comes discretion and empathy. In the right moment, the words come from the storehouse within and speak a word that is appropriate, fitting, acceptable for the moment, even delightful and pleasing. It is a fundamental trait of the children of God.

The word used for “perverted,” on the other hand (the same word used in verse 31), from a root meaning: to turn about, or over; by implication to change, overturn or consequently, to pervert. The wicked do not see life as it is. They see it as they want it to be based on their values and desires. There is a veil, or fundamental misunderstanding of how things are. Let me go further to say, they turn or twist those things so that they become distorted for their own advantage. The result are words and behavior that does not sync with reality, or the hearts of those who love our Father.

Words, words, words. So powerfully good, or devastatingly bad. But it all begins in the heart. My heart is influenced and affected by that upon which I choose to focus my attention:

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭NASB‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬