What Separates Us? (Proverbs 16:23)

Learning is a constant process. It is never truly finished until we meet our Lord.

"The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips." Proverbs 16:23, Amplified

There is a saying that someone speaks their mind. I feel that humanity really speaks their hearts instead of their minds. We often speak out of emotion without thinking of the consequences that our words may have. The wise, however, instructs their mouths on how to speak. The way the verse reads, this can be a child of God or of the world. Anyone can speak with tact or intelligence. Anyone of the world can also learn more and become a persuasive person. What separates us is in how we get our knowledge and how we use our knowledge. The Christian has the same abilities and tools as the rest of the world. It is how those abilities and tools are used to glorify the Lord.

The Problem with Talking to George (Proverbs 16:22)

There are two parts to correction. First: finding fault and pointing it out. Second: understanding the fault and fixing it.

"Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it, but to give instruction to fools is folly." Proverbs 16:22, Amplified

Correction always leads toward life. When I say life, I mean the better of two paths. There is the first path taken where the decision made is not the correct or best one. Correction comes and instructs the decider about the two choices in front of him. Instruction is similar to school teachers (or instructors) who grade papers. The red marks left in their wake are corrections to wrong decisions that were made by you on the paper. Those red marks now become a teaching aid so that you can study and find the correct answer or go to the source of the grading and ask why the answer was wrong. In either case, correction is designed to divert from wrong choices.

Fools are inherently foolish. To give instruction to a fool is not the best choice for anyone. There are those of us in this world who just do not want to listen to advice, instruction or correction. I had a friend named George. Most everyday he would come to me for instruction or advice for things going on in his life. The question would come and then I would present my answer. The response from George was always, "No, I do not think that is right." Now imagine hearing that every time advice is given. Finally I got tired of it and told him I would no longer give him advice and specified why. He begged and begged. So I gave in two days later and when advice was given, his response remained the same. Who was the foolish one in this scenario?

The point is, we need to know when to and when not to instruct, advise and correct. The religious leaders did not always accept Jesus' responses to their questions but Jesus never went around to subvert their authority. He was never on the attack. Jesus honestly answered and and all questions despite the motive behind it. Remember, the idea of correction is to move someone from wrong to right in love. Correction should always be covered n a blanket of love, otherwise it becomes a tool of superiority.

The Sweetness of Prudence (Proverbs 16:21)

To be prudent is to show an active care or interest in the future. I know this is a subject and a definition that has already been covered in these studies, but the book of Proverbs often broaches subject matter more than once. Repetition is usually indicative of the need to hear. In other words, the more the Lord says it, the more important it must be for us to hear.

"The wise in heart shall be called prudent, understanding and knowing; and winsome speech increases learning [in both speaker and listener]." Proverbs 16:21, Amplified

Wisdom brings about a great respect from other persons. In the book of First Kings in chapter three, Solomon is visited by the Lord. The Lord offers him anything that he might request. Solomon chooses wisdom over everything including riches and fame. In his first wise act, Solomon is confronted with two women who claim that one baby is both of their own. They each claimed that the other had killed the other baby in their sleep. Solomon proposes that he cut the baby in half in order to satisfy both women. It was the compassion of one of the woman that exposed her as the real mother. After that it was said that Solomon's fame grew. Solomon wrote more than just these proverbs that we read in these thirty-one chapters.

What the Amplified Version calls "winsome speech" the New King James calls "sweetness of the lips". This is not necessarily a discrepancy in texts since both have similar meaning. To be winsome means to be attractive or appealing sweetness is mostly always attractive to audiences. When speech is sweet, more people will tend to listen. I do not agree with those who want to stand on corners with megaphones and preach hellfire and brimstone. I do believe there is a time and a place for such teaching, but this is not what draws people to Jesus. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." God was in the position to be wrathful and vengeful, but He chose love. God was in the position to punish, but He chose the sacrifice of His Son. God did not have to love, He wanted to love. Life without Christ does end in death and hellfire and brimstone, yes, but His focus on the earth was love. The world needs to understand why it does not have to go to hell. Sweetness will draw men to Jesus. Sweetness will allow for us to know and understand our God more.