By Garry J. Moes

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“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver,” says the wise Solomon (Proverbs 25:11, ESV).

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The proverb has been rendered variously in other translations and paraphrases of that Old Testament book of wisdom literature:

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• “A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples on a silver tray.” – (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

• “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” – (New Living Translation)

• “Like apples of gold in settings of silver, is a word spoken at the proper time. – (New American Standard Bible) Or as earlier editions of the NASB have it: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.”

• “The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.” – (Contemporary English Version)

• An idea well-expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver.” – (Good News Translation)

 

Well, you get the idea.

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But from these, one can logically extrapolate an opposite maxim, something like, “A word unfitly spoken or a word spoken inappropriately in the wrong setting or circumstance is like an ice ball in a setting of mud” (or words to that effect).

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Ideas have consequences, a much-used adage points out. And words express ideas. That’s why we use words. We expect them to have meaning, and ofttimes we expect them to produce a response — of agreement or disagreement or action — on the part of the hearer. Sometimes they are purposely intended to provoke, which means in its simplest definition: to call forth. In common usage, however, provocation is usually meant the act of inciting to anger.

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As much as words have consequences, they, on a more basic level, have meaning. They have the power to make us think of the concrete things or precise ideas spoken about.

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The most glorious example is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The “Word” spoken of here is the “Logos,” the divine wisdom manifest in the creation, government, and redemption of the world and identified here as the second person of the Trinity. John tells us that the Logos gives light and life to all men and that he (John) has actually seen and touched the reality of Him. Jesus himself tells us that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father God Himself. Jesus, that is, is the very expression or revelation of Who God is, and His inscripturated “Word” is our life’s guide — “the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). Christ is the ultimate “fitly” golden word in a setting of precious silver.

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But we all know that “unfitly” words can be harmful and often are deadly. A well-known childhood defense against name-calling is “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Any kid who raised that defiance knew, of course, how much hurt “names” can cause. As authors James Velesquez and Dantan Werneke put it:

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As children, this was the perfect defense against verbal assailants. It was a rhythmic chide that would shield us from bad hair days, unstylish outfits, and spilt milk.  As long as we weren’t literally made to “suffer the slings and arrows,” life would go on. But while the defense was good, the hurt was still there. Words, we found, were very powerful things. They had meaning. Words, much like ideas, had consequences.

 

All men yearn for freedom of speech, so much so that Americans and peoples in a few other cultures have taken pains to guarantee that freedom in constituting law. It is viewed by them as an inalienable right of life, liberty, and happiness. But wise men also know that dangerous words can be deadly, and so they recognize that the right of speech is not, in fact, inalienable, but has limits for the very sake of protecting life, liberty, and happiness. Even life, liberty, and happiness themselves are not absolutely inalienable and can rightly be taken from criminals and despots who unjustly deprive the “innocent” of these fundamentals of a fulfilling human existence.

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Elsewhere in Holy Scripture we are warned against the use of unfitting and maliciously harmful words. Among the most cogent, perhaps, is St. James’ admonition against an unbridled tongue in Chapter 3 of his epistle:

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5 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. [ESV]

 

There is a caution here especially for teachers of the Word of God. Clearly, we live in a time when words of powerful force and meaning are needed to “tear down the strongholds” of these evil days. Great reformers of the past, such as the sometimes-provocative Martin Luther, barely minced words in pouring forth scalding condemnations against the evils of their days. Yet their denunciations of evil rarely crossed the line into speech that was in itself filthy, unfitting, or unwholesome. A prophet of the Lord is not to be a “shock jock.”

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Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29, KJV)

 

Teachers of the Word of Life need to use words of life and shining light and avoid words that unnecessarily lead to thoughts of dark things, even when condemning those dark things.

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The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. (Ecclesiastes 10:12)

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Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:4)

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Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6, note the balance there: gracious yet seasoned with salt.)

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Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]. (Ephesians 4:29, Amplified Bible)

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Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say. (Ephesians 4:29, CEV)

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