Proverbs 15:1-5
 
Prov 15:1 (KJB)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
 
Soft - Sensitive or delicate
Grievous words - Words of offense
 
Here is the essence of diffusing a possible volatile situation. If a person is verbally accosting us, instead of returning the same type of words being thrown at us, what we need to do is to give a soft or sensitive answer. This does not mean we are weak, but it means we are wise. If you will notice that the phrase “grievous words” carries with it the idea of offensive words and not defensive words. In an argument, both sides will use offensive words and instead of mollifying the situation, it begins to fan the flame higher until there could be physical harm to each other. A good biblical example of this is when David had set out to kill Nabal but Abigail heard of it and had approached David and pacified him with her gestures of kindness (1 Samuel 25). It is always better to defuse a situation than to add fuel to the fire. This is where the meekness of the believer comes in. Meekness is intentional humility and when others see how well you handled it, it will create a witness opportunity. Try being a witness after a loud insulting battle with someone. Ask people to come to the Lord after you have used derogatory terms toward another, even if they were at fault and see what kind of response you get.
 
Prov 15:2 (KJB)
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
 
Knowledge - Skill or perception
 
The wise person is able to use the knowledge they have learned for the good. They will not take their knowledge and use it for anything which may be detrimental to either them or the person they are dealing with. They know what to say and how to say it and at the right time. On the other hand a fool, may possess some knowledge of something and will not use it correctly. The foolish are impulsive with their words because they desire to have a following and the majority of the time, when they promise or say something, it does not come to pass or if it does, it does not come to pass in the way they thought. There is a spiritual lesson here also. The saved person uses the knowledge they posses in the Scriptures in a proper manner, not drawing people to themselves but leading people to the Lord. The fool may spew out some Bible verses but their main message will be to follow them because they think they have something. The fool also brings false doctrine because they do not know how to study and interpret the Bible.
 
Prov 15:3 (KJB)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
 
This verse should scare every unbeliever and make every believer aware of the fact that no one can hide from the Lord. This not only includes the physical aspects of our life but the Lord also sees and judges our motivations and intentions. (Heb 4:12 KJV) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. There is not a person on earth who can hide from the Lord or hide their plans and schemes. Many may think that because they are in secret or in league with others, that their secrets are totally safe. (Isa 29:15 KJV) Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Notice that Isaiah 29:15 states that those who try to hide from the Lord are unable to hide their counsel and their works. They may escape the earthly penalties for their actions but they will never escape God’s bar of justice. On the other hand, the Lord also notices the good that the believers do, even when they do those good works in secret. (Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that the good deeds that we do, to the glory of God, never go unnoticed by God. So this Proverbs verse teaches us that God sees all the evil acts and the good acts done on this earth. Nothing will ever escape His notice.
 
Prov 15:4 (KJB)
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
 
Wholesome - Calm
Perverseness - Twisting
Breach - To shatter or break
 
A wholesome or calm tongue, meaning speech, emanates from a mind which is calm having perfect peace of salvation in their soul. Those who are saved need not become anxious about anything because their life is safely held in the arms of Jesus. A calm, saved mind brings the words of stability into any situation and those who heed that advice normally will fare better. If there is a tongue which twists the situation at hand or even magnifies the situation above and beyond what it really is will show there is a brokenness in the spirit, that is, they are not spiritually connected with God through the Holy Spirit, which means, they are unsaved. It also means that they do not have the spirit of calmness or stability and will only bring more anxiety into the situation. There is a spiritual application here. Those who have a calm mind, which is manifested in calm speech, are showing that they have trusted God for every situation in their life and those who normally come along with anxiety filled speech are revealing that they do not have a relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and are using worldly wisdom. The one with the calm tongue brings the Gospel of Christ with calm words and good biblical understanding but the one who is unsaved, will twist the words of Scripture and that twisting will create a situation where their hearers will not become saved because the Lord does not bless the twisting of His word.
 
Prov 15:5 (KJB)
A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
 
Despiseth - Reject or disdain
Regardeth - Observes
 
We have seen this as a recurring theme in the book of Proverbs. A fool is one who will take the counsel of his father and reject it thinking that they have more knowledge and wisdom. The one who observes and obeys the counsel of his father is considered wise and shrewd. If he does not use everything he has learned immediately, when the time comes, he will use it by pulling from his spiritual repository. When a wise man is corrected, he will be thankful because he will learn never to repeat that which caused him to be corrected and the more he places correction into his life, the less he will be corrected. This verse also doubles with the meaning that if we reject the father’s counsel from the Scriptures, we will be counted as a fool because there is no other book under the sun that has the way of salvation in it.

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