Solomon wants to shake us out of our normal response to others. We want to tell people what is wrong and needs attention. But, instead, if w

Keep close watch over what you think about. Don't let random thoughts, fantasies, or schemes control your mind for long sections of time

It is crucial for men and women that they learn how to receive instruction, commands, correction, and training with the right spirit. If you

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles" One of the quickest and surest ways to get in trouble is to say things you shouldn't say. We live in a culture that seems to believe that if you think or feel something, it has to be said. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need to wrestle our tongue until it is under control and it only moves at the impulse of wisdom. What is amazing is that our tongue helps manipulate air as it passes out of ou

I talk with people all the time who want to say something to someone, but they do not plan out an everybody-wins plan for what they are goin

People need others to give them a timely word – a message of encouragement of what they are doing right, of their strengths, or a word notic

I have watched friendships be destroyed and even churches split over things that were said by whisperers. We must realize that when someone

Notice that the focus of this proverb is on morality that we are aware of, but the benefit of being moral is not what we typically think a l

If you understand the difference that comes from a kind word rather than an "honest" or angry word or phrase; when you treat those

The idea here clearly seems to be that the penetration of one's lessons will go much deeper into a person if the lessons are conveyed wi

Solomon is saying that if you cannot keep your emotions to yourself, then there is very little expectation that things will turn out well fo

"For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down" So begins a series of verses about the whisperer or the murmurer. The Hebrew word is ragan which means to murmur or whisper, to say under one's breath, to speak quietly. It can easily be extended to mean those who start rumors, who keep slander and gossip going. The point that is being made is that this type of person is a person to keep out of your employ because they just keep the

If what you say causes a bitter mold to grow in the other person towards you, then you will not have a good result in life or business. If w

How many people have been devastatingly hurt by trusting someone with personal information only to have that person break a confidence and t

The first rule of relationships is to not offend or abuse the people you want to be friends with. And yet this is what sarcasm actually is .

It is painful to tell the truth at times. It often involves taking responsibility for mistakes and errors that you would just as soon avoid,

Don't talk too much; you get in the way of what God wants to do. Be alert to what God is prompting you to do.

Whatever God says is important is different from what your culture says is important. God is right and the culture is wrong. We, as a cultur

Our culture has fallen in love with this perverse form of foolishness. We call them practical jokes and find great fascination with deceptio

Solomon begins a triplet of insights into specific kinds of people with this comparison of violent instruments and the person who would betr