Communication Principles from Proverbs

Jesus himself said that “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt 12:34b).

Communication is important. More importantly, how communication is done is important. Jesus himself said that “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt 12:34b). It is underappreciated in our culture that what we say—whether verbally, over text, or on social media—reveals our hearts. It is a good and important exercise to evaluate our own communication and see how we line up.

The ancient world prized wisdom, specifically the discussion of how to act in daily life. Unsurprisingly, Proverbs provides some of the most pithy and helpful statements on how a righteous man or woman ought to communicate. In many cases, Proverbs will contrast the righteous and their communication style with that of the non-righteous. What follows are a few evaluatory questions we can draw from Proverbs.

Does my communication bring good benefit to others?

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence (Prov 10:11).The lips of the righteous feed man, But fools die for lack of understanding (Prov 10:21).

The principle is that our communication ought to positively impact others (cf. Eph 4:29). Perhaps you, like me, have known those individuals who pour forth wisdom when they speak. It seems that every time they say something, they are feeding and providing me with something that will sustain my life. That is the mark of righteous speech. The words of the righteous provide tremendous benefit to all those who will listen. As Proverbs makes clear elsewhere, this is largely due to the fact that the righteous individual is also wise—having a mastery on the issues of importance in life.

I know this will come as a surprise to many. But if what you’re going to say is not going to benefit someone, perhaps you shouldn’t say it.

Is my communication valuable?

The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver,The heart of the wicked is worth little (Prov 10:20).The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted (Prov 10:32).Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And he who speaks right is loved (Prov 16:13).

In line with the previous point, those who speak well and benefit others are prized because of their intrinsic value. This is no surprise. I think we all have certain people in our lives whom we value because of the wisdom and attractiveness with which they speak. Are you valuable in how you speak?

Does my communication bring wisdom and insight?

The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out (Prov 10:31).

The one who is righteous is also necessarily wise. Therefore, the speech of the righteous is imbued with wisdom, understanding how the world works and helping others see that through his or her speech. In contrast, there are also those who simply deserve to have their tongue cut out because they twist and deceive people—they hurt instead of help.

Do I take some time and think before I talk?

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things (Prov 15:28).

Honestly, it is difficult to imagine a more appropriate proverb on communication given our culture’s infatuation with social media. Our society prizes the quick and witty. Our culture prioritizes the immediate response on X or Facebook, but Proverbs highlights the prudent and thoughtful. There is a time for haste, but the wise man and woman know that haste in communication should be the exception and not the rule. Those who are righteous know that time and thinking must precede helpful, biblical communication.

There are many more principles we could look at in Proverbs, but I have a feeling these will keep us busy for the time being.

(Communication Principles from Proverbs)

Article by : Peter Goeman / The Sojourner

Image : Wix Unsplash - Saeed Karimi