WORDS, HEART AND SORROW
Proverbs 15:4, 13, 23 & 30 NKJV
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones healthy.
This chapter of Proverbs helps us make the connection between our words and their impact on our heart, our inner man. So we’ll look at them one by one and see how they relate to each other.
Verse four. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Another word for wholesome is healing. When we speak words of healing and life, we are creating a great environment. But words that are perverse break the spirit. The word for perverse is deceitful and distorted. Speaking words that are distorted from the truth of God’s Word is harmful to our spirit.
Verse thirteen. A merry heart makes a happy face. But a sorrowful heart breaks the spirit. When someone is happy on the inside, it shows on the outside. But sorrowful on the inside is damaging to our heart. Sorrow is harmful, and speaking distorted words is harmful to our inner man.
Verse twenty-three. A man has joy by the answer of his mouth. This would connect our words to whether or not we are sorrowful or joyful. Healing words bless and bring joy. Speaking the right thing at the right time is helpful. This makes a good case for being quiet until we have a perspective that includes God. A godly perspective will result in words that are right. A godly perspective will enable us to have an answer to life with words that bring joy and healing. Speaking negatively hurts us on the inside. There is more to our words than just words. Words can plant seeds of life or death, joy or sorrow, help or hurt.
Verse thirty. The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. And a good report is healthy for our insides. We know that the entrance of God’s Word gives light, according to Psalm 119:130. And that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, according to Psalms 119:105. So, putting this together, God’s Word gives light to our heart. God’s Word, when received, causes our heart to rejoice. It’s the good report that is consistently good in the middle of a dark world. This is a spiritual thing, but the light of God’s Word is just as real, if not more, than any natural light.
Words have an impact on us spiritually. We may not always feel the impact, but it doesn’t mean words have no effect. When we speak in line with God’s words, then our words have light and healing. Then our words are not breaking us on the inside but bringing joy and health. But when we speak in line with the darkness around us, we are hurting ourselves in our inner man. Speaking of how sad we are is not wise. We don’t deny times of sadness, but we don’t stay there for extended periods of time. We speak words of healing and comfort from God’s Word. We can have a major impact on our level of joy or sorrow. A major impact on light or darkness. If you are feeling down and sorrowful, first do a check up on your words and what you are putting into your heart. Words matter. A lot!