As I read through my Proverbs reading this morning, I was captivated by the words at Proverbs 18:4;
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
I found the first part of this sentence striking and for me a wise word of caution viewed from a new lens. The more I thought on these words the more my thoughts were led onto a seldom travelled path. Although it is quite common to wonder what lies behind the words of another and to guess at some of the feelings – rightly or wrongly – behind them, came to see I rarely think in terms of common human frailty as a bedrock to the deep waters of those words. This is especially so where the words have felt or actually been unjust, cruel, untrue, judgmental, inspired by jealousy, hatred, vengefulness, and all manner of other evils. Sometimes it is obvious that they are just that – nothing else. But there are those times when maybe – just maybe – beneath multiple layers of meanings, beyond my own sight is a frailty that ought to elicit a gentler response than I might otherwise initially believed due. Thinking even of my own hasty words, how often, my own frailties have obscured the true intention or perhaps a need which was hidden from my own eyes at the time: of patience, for help, for grace.
How much this sentence taught me of my personal need of growth in gentleness towards others – for, as the common saying goes ‘you never know what someone may be going through’ which lie as the ‘deep waters’ behind their words.
Concerning wisdom being likened to a ‘flowing brook’ spoke to me of this well-spring not being stagnant, but fresh, flowing continuously from its Source, Almighty God our heavenly Father.
May I drink from this ‘brook’ daily and be refreshed by the wisdom which come from Messiah in God the Father.
Amen.
God bless you.
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