Proverbs 16:21-24, Godly Eloquence
November 1, Proverbs 16:21-24
2 Cor. 2:14-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21 “Most of man’s sins are in his mouth.”
Godly Eloquence
This kind of eloquence is more than a “fluency of speech.” It doesn’t come from “kissing the Blarney Stone”, as the Irish jokingly affirm. It has a mysterious quality. It is a gift, not a human attainment. Wisdom and eloquence must be united to add learning to the lips and health to the bones. There is hardly an error or heresy that has not been made acceptable to many by a perverted eloquence.
1. The Sanctified Heart: The heart of the wise teaches his mouth (v.23a). Such a heart is the best Teacher, for it is under the control of the Saviour. “It is when the genuinely Christ-loving heart teaches the mouth of the preacher, that his sermons become mighty through God” (Thomas). The word teaches is from the same root as handleth wisely (v.20), understanding (v.22), and means to make prudent, contemplate. What the heart is, the man is. Preachers are born [from above], not made in schools. “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.” This eloquence needs the heart of a saint, glowing with the love of Christ, in other words, a sanctified heart.
2. The Sensitised Hearer: Such a heart adds learning to his lips (v.23b) so that men and women, made sensitive by the Holy Spirit, may hear and receive God’s truth (1 Cor. 1:21; 2:4). We noted this word learning in chapter 1:5. Then, again, we saw it in 4:2 where it was translated doctrine. So instruction is its basic meaning, leading to the idea of teaching-power, or its persuasiveness. In 7:21 it has a bad sense where a harlot with her much fair speech caused him to yield. Her fair speech was both a persuasion and a perversion to suit her evil ends. In contrast, sweetness of lips increases learning by the persuasiveness of good speech (16:21). Here is the heart of the wise that adds learning, or persuasion to his lips, which the sensitised hearer gladly receives. This is from none other than the man with the sanctified heart, who knows and loves Christ, however unlettered or ungrammatical his speech may be. It is from this truehearted person that the sensitive hearer learns the best lessons of all.
3. The Satisfied Health: Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones (v.24). Honey was the safe and satisfying food for the body. It was so prized in olden times, and still today recommended for its health benefits. Scripture (Ps. 19:10; 81:16) uses it as a symbol of a safe and satisfying food for the healing of the soul. Honeycomb literally means the flowing of honey as it pours forth to be enjoyed. As such, it is as pleasant words, because sweet to the soul. Soul honey provides both pleasantness and health to the bones. Like all true eloquence, it ever drops as honey to revive the waiting soul. It is appetising to the taste and tonic to the heart.
Thought: “A sanctified heart is better than a silver tongue” (T. Brooks).
Prayer: Lord, give me such a heart that I may speak a word in season.