A Fountain of Life
Proverbs 10:7-14,31,32
Talk is cheap. People get good at knowing the right things to say and who to say them to. I see this all the time in marriage counseling. I talk to the wife, and she has one version of the story. Then I talk to the husband, and he tells a much different story. It’s only when the two are together that the truth becomes more evident, and often what reveals the truth is the mouth.
For example, imagine a husband claiming he is willing to do anything to save the marriage. Anything! That sounds good. But when the two are together it becomes obvious that’s not true. Simply stated, if he truly loved his wife and wanted to save the marriage, he would not be saying the things he’s saying and treating her the way he’s treating her. His mouth is revealing his heart. Prepared speeches are easy. Real life is hard.
This is a big problem in our culture. People say the right things. They get behind a microphone or a computer and wax eloquent. On and on they go about this and that. They tweet noble thoughts and wise sounding words. They love to speak of things like tolerance, acceptance, and kindness. But then in real life, off mic, they open their mouths and out comes rot. According to the Proverbs, the mouth reveals the heart.
Many leaders or politicians today talk a good game. Interview them and they sound like the most thoughtful and reasonable person out there. But then they turn right around and contradict themselves or intentionally lie to promote their agenda. Proverbs refers to this person as someone who winks the eye. For them, it’s not about telling the truth—wink wink—it’s about knowing the right thing to say for political gain. The mouth reveals the heart. It’s a good reminder that hope will never come from the democrats or the republicans. It doesn’t come from government at all. It comes from the righteous. Only the righteous can right the ship.
This week Proverbs introduces us to another familiar fool, the babbling fool. Literally the Hebrew is the foolish of lips. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. The wise of heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be ruined. He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be ruined. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions. On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the fool, ruin is at hand.
Remember again, the wicked in Proverbs are not just murderers and thieves, they are those who advantage themselves at the expense of the community. A weapon of choice for the wicked is their mouth. With the mouth of the fool, ruin is at hand. Also, the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
When the proverb refers to violence, it’s not referring so much to bloodshed but rather violence to Shalom. The babbling fool exposes his intention to selfishly ruin shalom for himself and everyone around him. People will not remember the babbling fool fondly. The name of the wicked will rot. Rather they will remember how he spoiled every environment he was in with his out-of-control mouth (of course, mouth includes all communication today, including social media).
Contrast the babbling fool with the righteous. The wise of heart will receive commands, in other words, he is teachable. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. In the ancient near east water was critical to survive. A fountain of water was extremely rare and lifegiving. Imagine a tribe of people in a hot and dry land coming together each day to experience this cool, refreshing water from the fountain. It’s a beautiful picture of the healing power of words. They give cool, refreshing life.
Think about those places where you find yourself. When people gather do they hear a babbling fool or a fountain of life? Do you add to the rot, or do you bring refreshment and life? It’s easy to get caught up in all the anger that defines our culture today. Yes, there are plenty of reasons to be frustrated. But what does venting change? How does throwing your two cents into the conversation make things better? How does that give life to a dry thirsty soul?
People are weary of the conflict. Their souls are dried up and they can smell the rot. It’s time for the righteous to step up and change the culture. It’s time to invite people to drink from the fountain of life. Trust me, people are thirsty if you are willing to be counted among the righteous. The babbling fool has had his say long enough. You don’t need to silence him. If you try, you’re likely to get dragged into the mud with him. What you need to do is offer an alternative, a fountain of life, and invite the thirsty to join you.
One can’t help but think of Jesus standing before the people saying, Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give Him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. And this: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.
If we have drunk freely from the well of Jesus it should be obvious when we open our mouths. Out should flow a fountain of life. I can claim I am a Christian. I can put a Jesus fish on my car and a cross around my neck. But what flows out of my mouth reveals the condition of my heart. If you’re filled with living water, then talk like it. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. Let’s not be the babbling fool lest we ruin ourselves as well as the others around us.
The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, but the perverted tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.