Proverbs 31 Isn't Just About Women! | The Fruit of the Heart

It's been a little over a year since I wrote Proverbs 31 Isn't Just About Women! (Part 1), so it's time for the next characteristic!

To summarize, the first nine verses of Proverbs 31 are known as "The Sayings of King Lemuel" as taught to him by his mother. Some important characteristics of men can be found here. What I wrote in the previous blog are the first three characteristics I discovered in these Scripture verses, but of course they are not limited to only these:

1. He listens to and honors authority.

2. He has good eyes (stewards his soul and guards his heart).

3. He demonstrates self-control.

   
   

   Let's continue with the fourth characteristic!

"Speak up for those who have no voice,

for the justice of all who are dispossessed.

Speak up, judge righteously,

and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy."

Proverbs 31:8-9

The Fourth Characteristic: He Speaks Life

I am not one to gamble, but I have seen enough movies to know that in the game of poker, a player is searching for their opponent's tell to perceive what their opponent has in their hand. Are their cards going to win them the game or fold them a fortune?

In a similar way, how a person speaks is very telling of what is in their heart.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. What we speak – or choose to speak up about – says a lot about the heart of a person - either man or woman. When you are at work, school, the gym, in line at the grocery store, have you ever noticed when someone speaks negatively? When they gossip or complain? Maybe they even swear? How does that make you feel? It is draining. But how about when someone compliments you? Or when they smile and say hello? Or when the boss says, "Hey, that's looking great! Keep up the good work!" Do you notice a significant difference? Do you see how that fills up the lives of those around them? This is because words carry weight.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me," is one of the silliest phrases I have ever heard. Why? Because the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21)! Our words have the power to create realities. What we speak not only is an insight to what our heart believes, but it has the power to create the reality in which our heart believes, too.

1 Samuel 16:7 says that "man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." So, man doesn't have the ability to see a person's heart; however, God did say that we can judge a person by their fruit, or what is produced in their lives.

Words are the fruit of the heart.

Men: How do you speak? Are you speaking life? Are you speaking up for what is good and godly? Psalms 141:3 says, "Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." We are accountable to the things we say, and what you say will not only affect who you are, but the people you attract, the culture you create, and eventually, the kingdom you build. Words are the fruit of the heart.

Women: Take notice to how a man speaks. Is he patient, or is he interruptive? Is he encouraging, or is he self-deprecating? Does he ask questions, or is he quick to criticize, and form an opinion? Does he build others up, or does he jest in a way that demeans only to quickly cover it with, "I was only joking!"? Does he speak up at all? Is he faithful to what he says he will do, or is he a smooth-talker that doesn't follow through? How do the people around him speak? Again, words are the fruit of the heart. If a man speaks tenderly, with kindness, grace, humility, and seasoned with truth, these are signs of a good heart yielded to the Spirit. Not a perfect heart, but a yielded heart.

A Poetic Prayer

May our words yield beautiful bouquets and bountiful harvests!

May we sow seeds of truth into others that will reap joy and beauty.

O LORD, help us with what we say, put a watch over the door of our lips.

Purify our hearts in which we more clearly see You and more gracefully speak.

Friend, I pray that you are encouraged and challenged in the best way. It is a new year and it is a good thing to partner with the LORD in examining how you think, speak, and act. His love is perfect and we can never be separated from His love.Change is hard on our own, and our will power is not enough. I encourage you to allow God in His powerful love transform you into the son or daughter He has called you to be.