DCLM DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR FEBRUARY 13, 2023 (BLESSED LIPS)
TOPIC: BLESSED LIPS
Text: Proverbs 10:11-21 (KJV)
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who [a]is devoid of understanding.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.
17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction [b]goes astray.
18 Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,
And whoever spreads slander is a fool.
19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of [c]wisdom.
KEY VERSE: “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” – (Proverbs 10:11)
MESSAGE
A young man came to a monk during the Middle Ages and said, “I think I have sinned by saying slanderous thing about someone. What should I do to be cleansed?” The wise monk replied, “Simple! Just put a feather on every doorstep in town”. Excited at the seeming simplicity of the monk’s recommendation, the young man hurriedly finished the task and came back to ask the monk if there was anything else to do.
The monk cleared his throat and slyly said, “Now go back and pick up all the feathers, don’t leave out any”. Dejected and discomfited the young man exclaimed, “but that’s impossible! For by now the wind must have blown them all over the town!” “Exactly, just like your slanderous words are now irretrievable”, the monk concluded.
Our text speaks on the use of the mouth and lips interchangeably. It describes and compares the mouths of a righteous man and the wicked. It states that the lips of the righteous have understanding, wisdom and justice to feed many. On the other hand, the lips of the wicked are full of violence, destruction, sin, errors, lies and slander.
The tongue is a potent weapon that can bring joy or pain, happiness or misery, peace or destruction. With your tongue, you can build others up or put them down; motivate or destroy others. It takes a few words to inflict pain on others, to offend or break someone’s heart. Wounds heal but they may leave scars that will never fade. In the same vein, a wrongly spoken word leaves lasting pains.
Our lips should encourage, uplift and restore those who are straying. The Christian’s mouth should be a well of life to those around him. Therefore, be mindful of your words and guard your heart with all diligence, renewing it daily with God’s counsel. Think before you speak as words spoken cannot be retrieved. Always verify information before speaking, commenting, liking or sharing anything on the social media. Be mindful of what you say and the information you share and post. Pray for the mouth of the righteous and the lips of the just.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The mouth of the righteous is a well of life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 7-10
Daily Manna is the daily devotional of the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry (DCLM) written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi. It is an extraction of God’s Word designed to draw the sincere seeker closer to God on a daily basis through an insightful exposition and analysis of God’s Word.
