Our reading today is from Proverbs 15:2.
“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.”
When I read that, I picture a careful marksman. Before he pulls the trigger, he takes time to ready his stance, aim his sights, and then fires. Try it any other way and the shot goes astray. Words work much the same. Speak before you think, and someone gets hurt. Think before you speak, and healing often follows.
The wise and the foolish both talk, but the difference lies in “how” they talk. The wise person shapes their words so they can be heard. They season truth with grace. The fool fires off opinions without care for the target.
For example, imagine someone who’s struggling with a habit they can’t break. The wise might say, “I know that’s hard. God helped me when I prayed through each small step.” The fool might say, “You need to stop being lazy. You should have fixed this by now!” Same subject, different spirit.
Solomon reminds us that knowledge becomes acceptable only when it’s delivered with love. So before you speak, take a breath. Ready your heart. Aim your words. Then speak to bless, not to bruise.
That is wisdom in action. It is Proverbs 15:2 lived out in everyday speech. One elderly woman wisely said, “I always taste my words before I spit them out.”
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.