Before I was born, my parents bought a small chicken farm.
The people before us might have been successful at this but my father grew up in the city.
He didn’t have a clue.
But, that didn’t stop him.
He figured that if those simple people could do it, he could do it better.
So, he bought 500 baby chicks and the fun began.
Anyone remember the program, “Green Acres?”
That was my father, a city businessman who moved to the country.
Out in the chicken coop in his suit and tie.
By the time that I was 4 or 5 he had begun to figure it out.
The main lesson to learn is that healthy chickens produce health eggs.
The best product that you can get from unhealthy weak chickens is manure.
Eggs fetch a good profit while manure, not so much.
As we have studied Proverbs, we have seen the difference between the wise and the unwise.
The ones who follow instruction and the foolish.
We have seen that there are so many benefits to taking the path of wisdom.
And that there are many disadvantages to going the way of the fool.
In the same way as healthy chickens produce healthy eggs,
Healthy Christians produce wise speech.
Your speech is the by product of what you are.
Your speech comes out of you and lets others know what is on the inside.
In Proverbs, we are told over and over again to value wisdom.
In chapter 4 we are told that wisdom is supreme.
We are to look for wisdom and cry out to her.
In chapter 3:13-18 we are told that blessed is the one who finds wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom is more valuable that silver and gold.
More precious than rubies.
Nothing can compare to her.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her.
This is the same wisdom that God used to lay the foundations of the Earth,
And to put the heavens in their place.
Wisdom leads us on to the paths of righteousness and as I always say,
“All of God’s blessings are found on the path of righteousness.”
Proverbs 12:28; In the way of the righteous there is life, along that path is immortality.
The path of sin and foolishness leads to many troubles at best and its end is death.
And, eventually, hell.
Wise speech is a product of righteousness.
Proverbs 18:4 says that wise words flow out of the mouth of the wise.
Proverbs 10:20 says that the tongue or speech of the righteous is as choice silver,
But, the heart of the wicked is of little value.
Many who preach on this subject will outline all of the benefits of wise speech and try to convince you to change your ways.
They would challenge you to watch each word that you say and to try your hardest to improve.
Many preach this way.
Many believe that you can try harder and that by doing so you will become better.
Many also preach week after week about sin.
Their message is, “just stop sinning.”
But, the book of Proverbs doesn’t teach us that we can just decide to change our speech.
In fact, the Bible doesn’t teach us that we can overcome our sin.
Have you ever become discouraged over the fact that after being a follower of Jesus for so long, that you still sin?
Sin is what sinners do!
As long as you are a sinner you will sin.
The only hope that you have is that God will save you from your sin.
And, the good news is that God has saved you.
My point here is that you can’t just wish your way into wise speech.
What is on the inside will soon be reveled by our words.
Read proverbs 26:24-26: Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts.
Proverbs 12:23 says that the wise man can keep his knowledge to himself, he can hold his tongue, But, the heart of a fool blurts out foolishness.
In other words, a foolish person can’t wait to say something stupid.
Proverbs 18:13 teaches that the unwise speak before listening.
And, by doing so they show others just who unwise they really are.
When you listen to yourself, what do you hear coming out of your mouth?
Is your speech benefiting you?
Does your speech help you to get what you want?
Does your speech build up others?
Or, do you build yourself up by tearing others down?
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Remember our last study of the book of Micah.
Micah 6:8, He has shown you oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
So, is there any hope for the one who doesn’t have wise speech?
Yes, there is hope for everyone.
It took my father time to figure out how to get his chickens healthy,
But, when the chickens got healthy, the eggs got healthy.
At one point, our chickens got so healthy that they began to lay double yoked eggs.
Just like my father, you can also learn.
Wise speech is like a healthy egg.
Having wisdom is like being a healthy chicken.
There is one more lesson to be learned here.
A chicken can’t just decide to become healthy.
They might be able to run around and spend more time out in the yard,
But most of what benefits them is out of their control.
A chicken’s health is dependent on the one who raises them.
Each day they need someone to bring them food and clean water.
Each week they need someone to clean up after them.
This whole study of Proverbs has been teaching us that we need to value wisdom.
That we need to follow God’s instructions and stay far from the paths and ways of Satan.
We need to become more and more dependent on God.
We need to seek Him each day and all day.
We need to follow Him around as a chicken follows the one who feeds her.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.”
He will make straight your paths and He will lead you in paths of righteousness,
Where wise speech flows freely.
A healthy Christian is one that understands that they need God at each step of their lives.
They recognize that God provides for them and without God they have nothing.
They follow God’s laws and keep themselves pure.
They walk with God and seek Him both day and night.
And, by doing so, they reap all of the benefits and blessings that God has for them.
They become filled with peace and that peace brings life to their bodies.
They become spiritually healthy.
And out of that comes wise speech.
Each of us needs to depend on God fully with our lives.
A chicken will always be a chicken and a sinner will always need a savior.
But, God has a plan to save even the worst of sinners.
God has sent His only Son Jesus to live among us.
He knows what it’s like to be cooped up here.
He knows how broken we are.
But, in His love He died on the cross for each of us.
He became sin that we might become spiritually healthy.
God is calling out to you today to give your life to Him.
In return, He will give you more life that you could ever have imagined.
He is more precious than gold.
Read Proverbs 3:13-18
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who find understanding.
For she is more profitable than silver, and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
Wise speech is the by product of a wise healthy person who walks with God.
The benefits of walking with God are great.
Wise speech is just one of many.
The greatest is a relationship with God now and for eternity.
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