Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. 12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. 13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. 14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. 15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.
In todays text Solomon uses some great metaphors like red apples in a silver setting… this one makes me think of a painting… one that seems fitting and balanced and fits the occasion; I don’t know maybe like lights and a tree and children in their pajamas at Christmas or fall decorations at Thanksgiving with turkey and dressing and 3-4 families trying to scoot up to one table for dinner… Its a picture that is just… right! Let’s see… he says that someone who listens to wise reproof is like a ring or ornament of gold. It’s the perfect accent right! We may not always think so but repentance looks good and right on all of us. Humility is fitting for sinners. Solomon then talks about a faithful messenger being like I would say… a refreshing snow. Of course we don’t use messengers as often as they did in that day. But when the message senders we use like text and email work flawlessly it is just as refreshing to us. These are ways we communicate today right? So, this is one place we should use apt speech. Think about some of the social media formats we use like FB and twit... How many people use words fitly spoken in these things?
I tried to post a message on FB just yesterday that I thought was formed very aptly. In the post I explained that every morning I read both liberal and conservative news to help me discern the bias in the media and I found two conservative newsletters had been tagged as spam by google. Still, I was not certain any malignant intent had been done in my case. The post was asking if anyone else had noticed any of their conservative newsletter being sent to spam. However FB would not let me post it because they said it went against community standards.
So yes, in this case I thought mine was a word fitly spoken; but unfortunately the metaphor of refreshing snow did not apply because the messenger was not faithful.
I think a good spiritual application for what Solomon wrote can be seen in Colossians 4:
Paul is speaking in Colossians 4:3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Look, we need clarity as we share the love of Christ; a word fitly spoken… We need to speak aptly… and not only that but we need boldness. These are things Paul desperately wanted in his own life. If we have accepted this new mission in Christ then we need as for the same thing as Paul so we can messengers who deliver the clear message of good news. When we do this… like Solomon said about a faithful messenger refreshing his master I believe our Master smiles as well.
Next vs 14 uses some other weather metaphors like clouds and wind making promises of a rain that never comes. So sometimes the words seem fitting and apt but they are lies. We must be true witnesses of Christ.
In John 3 Jesus told Nicodemus: Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
Finally verse 15 of todays text says: 15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.
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1st Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
