Proverbs 25: 23 -24 Sly and quarrelsome - twin problems

²³ Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
    is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

²⁴ Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. 

Solomon addresses two issues here, but they are related. They are both problems of the tongue. 

In verse 23, a sly tongue is compared to a cold wind that is bringing an unexpected storm --- and indeed, a conniving tongue can definitely result in some stormy weather for the person who is being spoken or gossiped about. We must remove gossip, backbiting, and sly words from our vocabularies; they can destroy families, friendships and even congregations! 

In verse 24, we are reminded of Solomon's words in the 21st chapter of Proverbs, which tells us essentially the same thing. I was able to find a drawing that represents a home of Biblical times, showing the ingenious use of the rooftops for more space, and more ventilation. Solomon is telling us that it would be better to live in one tiny corner of one of those rooftops, than to share a house with a quarrelsome spouse.
The thesaurus notes a great many synonyms for "quarrelsome" --- argumentative, cross, peevish, bad-tempered, thin-skinned, petulant . . . hmmm, thin-skinned, eh? How many times have I jumped at someone's comment, to find that they didn't mean it in a negative way?  Petulant? How many times have I agreed with my spouse, but made certain that my tone showed my disappointment? You mean, I've been a quarrelsome wife? Ouch!

1 Peter 3:9-11
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Let's be determined to guard our tongues!

Prov 17 : 4 - 5 Tongue double, brings trouble

Pro 17:4  A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
Pro 17:5  Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

The title today is a saying by one of our sage, colonial men-about-town, Benjamin Franklin. He was noting, as so many have, that a "double" or deceitful tongue can cause a world of trouble. Lies and innuendos and mockery and taunts . . . none of those are positives!

I thought we'd focus today on "mocking the poor" and on being "glad at calamities."  Oh, my goodness, none of us are guilty of those, are we? Or are we?
We've discussed this once before: when we see a poor person, do we think, "well, he should get cleaned up and get some nicer clothes and get a job...then he wouldn't have to panhandle." Or, "the mission is just down the street - why doesn't she go there and get some help?"  Or even, "well, I know she is a Christian, but we have a committee that handles that - she can get help there."

1 Jo 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

I think we can all agree that compassion is not complete until there is action  --- one example would be the parable of the good Samaritan; another would be the work of Mother Teresa.

If y'all will give me just a minute or two, I want to massage my toes kinda gently for just a bit . . .

"Glad at calamities" surely doesn't apply to us, right?  . . . We don't laugh at people who lose their homes in disasters, or act smug, or anything like that.  But how 'bout, "Well, I knew that would happen. That boy is always running around with the wrong crowd."  Or, "She is just getting what she deserves, I just know it."  Or even, "See, I TOLD her she shouldn't (insert sage advice here)."
Hmmm, I think I know a verse that would suggest an alternative attitude:

2Pe 1:5  . . . giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (Emphasis is mine.)

I believe I have found some very wise advice that I am going to try to follow after I bandage up my toes:

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

I figure if I keep busy that way, I can't get in trouble with my tongue!

Proverbs 15:28-29 . . . So, who moved?

Pro 15:28  The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Pro 15:29  The LORD is far from the wicked:,  but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Our first verse reminds us of the fact that if we govern our tongues, we prove ourselves to be wise. When we are convinced that we will give an accounting of our thoughts and our words, then we will surely be careful to speak the truth, and to speak in such a way as to help, and not harm, others. So, in our heart we will study, or ponder, before we answer. Remember Nehemiah? He served King Artaxerxes, and when the king asked him why he looked sad, and what he would request, he didn't just blurt out the first thing that he thought of . . . he prayed before he answered the king. (You can check it out in the second chapter of Nehemiah.) I guess that's a pretty good example of a wise way to answer!

Verse 29 tells us that the "Lord is far from the wicked."  Hmmm, do you remember this old saying --- If you are not as close to God as you used to be, who moved?

The wicked will find all kinds of ways to shove God out of their lives . . . it's just as if they looked Him in the face and said, "Go away! Depart!" People who find a relationship with God a nuisance, or an embarrassment, will shut Him out of their lives entirely. Don't mention Him around them; don't talk about His blessings, or an answer to prayer. Don't pray around them, either. When a person is that defiant, God will distance Himself from them. Their wickedness and sin will cause a great divide between them, and holy God. But what a gift -- His mercy provides for them to be restored, through repentance, and faith in Christ!
The second half of verse 29 is a precious promise for those of us who are Christians: He hears our prayers. This is one of many times that we are assured of this. If our heart is pure, and we are seeking Him, He will hear our prayers and be delighted by them. We can cling to this fact, and wait on His answer, in His time. I know that I sometimes have trouble with the waiting -- with the answer coming in His time. I want it to come in my timing! Anybody else struggle with that?

Proverbs 15:4 Sticks and Stones . . .

Pro 15:4  A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Remember back in the first few studies we had with Tonya? Do you recall when Wisdom was compared to a "tree of life?"  In Proverbs 3:18, Solomon instructed us to seek, embrace, hold onto, Wisdom, for "she" would be a tree of life to us. Establishing, nurturing, sustaining us in our life here on earth.

Well, here is an interesting concept in Proverbs 15:4 . . . "a wholesome tongue" can be a tree of life, as well. How? I'm so glad you asked!! In the Hebrew, the word there can be translated curative, sound, wholesome, or healing.

Our tongues can heal when we:

•                comfort those who are hurting
•                tell sinful souls of our Savior
•                encourage those who are at odds to reconcile with each other
•                give wholesome advice to those who sorely need it

One of the commentaries that I read, said that if one lived around a person who had a "wholesome" or "healing" tongue, it would be like living in paradise - alluding to where we will see the tree of life later on. (It's in Revelation 22:2) 
The opposite of the wholesome tongue would naturally be one that wounds, and tells falsehoods, and causes grief, guilt and divisions among hearers.
While it's true that sticks and stones can break bones, I have never held to the idea that "words can never hurt" me . . . I'm sure we all have seen hearts broken by a few poorly chosen words.

I believe I will strive to have a healing, wholesome, peacemaking tongue. What are your thoughts on this verse?