Open Your Listening Ears and Your Seeing Eyes. Proverbs 19-20; Second Peter 2

May the mumbling commence!

When talking about wise words, wise speech, it is good to listen twice as much as we talk.  God gave us only one mouth, but the Lord gave us two ears.  Let us listen intently and carefully.  Read some from Proverbs chapter twenty:

Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies. (Verse 15)

For this reason alone, we should listen with extreme care.  Let’s use both our ears and our eyes.  These two sets of sensory organs can help to sift out the evil from the good, the godly.  Read more from Proverbs chapter twenty:

Ears to hear and eyes to see — both are gifts from the Lord. (Verse 12)

They are gifts from the Lord, so it is to the Lord that we must measure any advice we are given.  Before we make our plans, let us first consult the Lord.  Read from Proverbs chapter nineteen:

You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail. (Verse 21)

So it is wise not to make rash promises to the Lord.  Count the cost.  Then decide whether or not to proceed.  Read more from Proverbs chapter twenty:

It is dangerous to make a rash promise to God before counting the cost. (Verse 25)

May we count the cost well!

And may we be careful to test the words and actions (and the fruits of the actions) of people who are trying to lead us.  Not all leaders and teachers in the church are speaking with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  Read from the end of Second Peter chapter two:

These people are as useless as dried-up springs of water or as clouds blown away by the wind – promising much and delivering nothing. They are doomed to blackest darkness.  They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With lustful desire as their bait, they lure back into sin those who have just escaped from such wicked living.  They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.  And when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before.  It would be better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them.  They make these proverbs come true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A washed pig returns to the mud." (Verses 17-22)

Indeed, if we are not careful with both our eyes and ears, then we can end up worse than we were before we came to Christ.  Help us and guide us, O Lord, to choose wise and godly teachers and preachers of Your Word.  May we listen with careful discretion and the leading of the Holy Spirit of the living God.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out