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This is a picture of a "Prayer Plant". The leaves fold up at night, as hands may fold together to pray. With the rising of the sun they open up (as you see) & display the beautiful flowers it produces. We too should allow the Son of Righteousness to direct our moves & especially the opening of our mouths. That the fruit of our lips may give praise to His name as flowers do. The following is a study I found in a Thrift Store some years ago put together by a woman for women. I do not know the authors name. She made some good points that I thought were worth sharing.
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THE LAW OF KINDNESS
“She openeth her mouth with
wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26)
Love
Hasn't it all been said, and written, and read about that evil little
monster, the tongue? It is a fire, a world of iniquity, and defiles the whole
body; it sets on fire the coarse of nature, is an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison, and no man can tame it. These are some of the things James says about
the tongue (James 3:5-8). A Proverbs study of the capacities our tongues have
for good and evil teaches us that our concern with its use is two-fold: using
it wrongly and using it rightly. The godly woman of Proverbs is our model for
the right use of the tongue, for her tongue is ruled by kindness.
Sins of the Tongue
One of the greatest temptations
to the misuse of the tongue among women is what we call gossip, and we
need not try to call it anything else. To gossip is to discuss the affairs of
others, concentrating on their faults and weaknesses and their consequences. It
is an unwritten rule of the gossip game that we do not discuss any faults of
others that we ourselves also have, if we do have any. “Death and life are in
the power of the tongue” says Proverbs 18:21, and in 11:9 we read that “An
hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor.” Gossip has destroyed
reputations, the emotional, mental and even the physical health of its victims.
Many have committed suicide in a state of mental and physical deterioration
indirectly caused by unkind tongues.
Gossip is a habit (1). We should
beware of “Christian” gossip, or sharing information about another under the
guise of asking for prayer. This is despicable, but it does happen. Very rarely
need we reveal personal and private information about another, and never if it
has been told us in confidence. Sometimes we may not be specifically told that
certain information is confidential, but we should be discerning enough to
understand that it should not be repeated. If, when we share information with
another, we have to ask that it not be repeated, we'd best not tell it at all,
but re-double our praying about it.
Often we hear someone say
(perhaps we say it ourselves), “Now I just love Sally to pieces, but ...” then
we know Sally is about to be cut to pieces. If we are going to say something
unkind about someone at least let's not be a hypocrite. Sometimes we don't
really love Sally at all, and we are hiding hatred with lying lips (Proverbs
10:18). To be a little more kind to ourselves usually what we are really saying
is, “Sally is a dear person, but she has many faults. However, I'm so
charitable that I love her anyway.” The next time we have an impulse to say,
“I-just-love-her-but...” about someone, what if we change “but” to “because”,
tell why we love her and let it go at that? Wouldn't it be wonderful if
we spoke about the living persons the way we do about the ones who have just
died – nothing but praise and kindness!
Picture a law at the gate of
your mouth which says, “No unkind word shall pass these portals,” for that is
what is meant by, “In her tongue is the law of kindness.” A law is something
that must be obeyed. If it is broken, there are consequences – broken spirits
(Proverbs 18:14), broken hearts (Proverbs 18:8), broken relationships (Proverbs
16:28; 17:9), and miserable feelings of guilt in the offender. If we truly fear
God we need have no shame as we talk with one another, knowing that He hears,
for our speech will be gracious and kind and loving (Malachi 3:16).
“I am purposed that my mouth
shall not transgress,” says the Psalmist (Psalm 17:3). We have discussed ways
that our mouth can transgress by speaking unkindly. Is it a transgression to
fail to speak a cheerful word to a discouraged person? Our failure to do so is
usually a result of lack of thoughtfulness, or laziness, or no real interest in
the welfare of others. And this lack is a result of what? It is painful to
admit, but a preoccupation with our own needs and desires, which keep us from
noticing the needs of others.
Recently I had occasion to
commend someone for a beautifully executed task, and I shall never forget her response. “My dear,” she said with tears in her voice, “I needed that
encouragement.” With a convicted heart I thought of many scripture passages
that instruct us to lift up one another with kind words, and of how seldom I
think to do it. “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and
health to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)
“Heaviness in the heart of man
maketh it stoop, but a good word maketh it glad” (Proverbs 12:25). “The Lord
God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a
word in season to him that is weary … He wakeneth my ear to hear as the
learned.” (Isaiah 50:4). If we would have the tongue of the learned we must learn
something about those to whom we would minister. We must have our ears wakened.
In other words, we need to talk less and listen more.
The natural companion of a kind
tongue is a kind ear, and a person of true charm is first of all an expert
listener. There is a vast difference between listening and simply keeping
silent. A listener records, analyzes and devises intelligent and interesting
ways to respond to what he hears. To be a good listener one must have a genuine
interest in others. A godly woman knows how to listen lovingly, patiently and
attentively, and her response will be thoughtful and concerned, demonstrating
genuine interest. “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer” (Proverbs
15:28). Many of us only study to say whatever we can about what interests us
most, and we listen by maintaining a polite silence until we can get the floor
again to continue our me-myself-and-I monologue. Usually we are sadly unaware
of the one way nature of our communications.
It is important to distinguish
between sincere praise and flattery, the determining difference being in the
motive behind each. Flattery has a self-seeking goal which is to ultimately
work for the good of the one employing it, sometimes to the detriment of its
object. Flattering praise is usually insincere and frequently exaggerated to
the point of inaccuracy. The purpose of a true compliment is to strengthen and
encourage the one complimented. There is such a clean feeling in knowing that
our praise of another flows from a sincere heart's desire for that persons
good, and that our compliments are true and honest without a tinge of flattery.
We should remember when we are
tempted to flatter someone that there is usually an ulterior motive lurking
somewhere. It may be that we only want the other person's approval of
ourselves, but this is seeking to meet our own needs, not the other person's.
We should guard against trapping others or ourselves with flattery (Proverbs
29:5). And we should be warned about those who entice and flatter us, and who
tell us tales about others. They will amuse others with tales about us
(Proverbs 20:19).
Remedies for the Tongue
If we desire to have our tongues
obey the law of kindness, God's word has several suggestions as to how we might
do this. We should begin by asking God daily to prepare our hearts so that the
answers or responses of our tongue would honor His name and do good to those we
encounter through the day (Proverbs 16:1). . .
Enthusiasm is such good
medicine for the soul! Nothing is more enhancing to self-esteem than a hearty
endorsement of one's ideas. A friend of my mother-in-law said on the day of her
funeral, “One thing I shall always remember about Dorthy is the enthusiastic
way she responded to ideas. Her characteristic response was, 'Yes, let's'” A
congenial companion to enthusiasm is unqualified praise. A compliment with no
“if's”, “and's” or “but's” is a rare jewel, and we should practice bestowing
them more often.
A Spirit sensitive to the
needs or particular circumstances of others is so important. In other words
don't sing merry songs to a person with a breaking heart (Proverbs 25:20). And
albeit very commendable to count one's blessings, we should never do it in the
company of a person who is obviously undergoing great trial or testing.
It is not easy to accept
criticism or advice, but a true friend is willing to hurt us, if in the end we
will be helped. It is only his faithfulness as a friend that causes him to
inflict these necessary wounds (Proverbs 28:23). Each of us has the possibility
of two applications here. If we sense a necessity to administer such wounds we
must be sure that God has directed it and our motives are pure. We must pray
for a meek spirit, using Galatians 6:1 as our guide and authority. Or if a
friend sees needs in our lives and attempts to help us by first having to hurt
us, we shall have to ask for special grace and humility from God, for a
teachable spirit, and for objectivity sufficient to see our faults. These
situations are often victory grounds for Satan.
The Royal Law
Up to here we have only dealt
with the superficial meaning of our text. Have you ever heard of The Royal Law
of LOVE? Read James 2:8. The basic truth of this lesson is that the law of
kindness cannot be present in the tongue unless the law of love exists in the
heart. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that
which is good … for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke
6;45). Whatever is in our heart will determine what will come out of our mouth.
Love is the watershed of life –
everything falls on one side of it or the other. Either a person possesses love
– the capacity to love – or he doesn't. And he either has the world's flimsy
facsimile, or he has the shining pure gold of God's love, working for, and in,
and through him. We are speaking here of Divine love, as it has redeemed the
souls of those who will receive it, and as it flows freely through them,
warming and blessing the lives of those around the redeemed ones.
God's Love
Love is too deep and broad and
complex a subject to try to confine to a few pages or brief minutes of study.
But we should recognize that love is the essence of God, and that it is his
will that it should be manifested in the lives of his children. The common
denominator of all expressions of love is sacrifice,. The prototype of this is
God's gracious expression of love for us in the sacrificial death of Christ.
Every manifestation of real love involves giving, or the giving up of
something. Loving others doesn't merely mean to put up with them, to refrain
from criticizing them, or doing them any harm. “She will do him good, and not
evil” teaches us that we must attempt to do those things that would be good for
and helpful and pleasing to those we love. Often this means giving up
something, or some of ourselves – of our energy, our time, or material
resources.
Love's Loved Ones
Sometimes we think that in the area of love our greatest difficulty is
in loving the unlovely, or those people we don't particularly even like. This
is a problem. But many of us don't love those nearest and dearest to us as we
should. This lack shows itself in two ways. First, we don't truly love them
deeply and unselfishly and with hearts full of gratitude to God for them.
Second, we tend to take for granted the quality and quantity of the love we do
have, and assume that they do also, so we rarely express it. What should we do
about this? If we recognize that this is true in our lives, we should confess
it to God. Next, we can begin to ask Him daily to strengthen and increase our
love for our husbands, children, parents, and others close to us, thanking Him
for them. And then we can ask Him to help us discover fresh, creative ways to
show our love.
Love must be learned. It is easy to love some people – they are so
winsome and gracious that we can't help loving them (3). But in the case of
others, it is a strain. We recognize the need for an exercise of grace, and
exercise is a good word, for it is something like work. If you believe there is
a lack of real love for others in your life, why not try this:
1. Recognize that love is not an
emotion; it is an act of will.
2. Recognize that love is not
optional for the Christian. Christ commanded it. Read John 15:12, Matthew 22:39
and Matthew 5:44 and list three categories of people we are required to love.
Now list any categories this leaves out. (clue: there are none.)
3. Pray, specifically and generally, for love, God's love, to pour through you
to others. Name those whom you do not love, confess this as sin, and ask God to
enable you to love them, to see and appreciate their good qualities; to be
blind to their faults. Name those whom you do love. Ask God to enable you to
love them more; to find new and creative ways to express this love. (Note:
there are very few wives who love and appreciate their husbands as they
should.) Expect God to answer this prayer because he commanded it therefore you
know it is his will. He has promised to supply those things we ask in his will
(1 John 5:14-15).
4. Act. Do loving, thoughtful things for others. Express appreciation and
admiration for them. Tell them you love them. You will be surprised to discover
within yourself a little floweret of love where you thought none could grow.
No man can tame the tongue. But the Holy Spirit of God can, and only he can. Every
believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him (4), and the fruit of the
spirit is love. But this love must be nurtured and cultivated and allowed to
grow into something strong and useful and beautiful, as we surrender ourselves
day by day, moment by moment, to the control of the Holy Spirit.
Applications:
Read Proverbs 10:11-21, 31, 32. What do these passages have to say about the
mouth, lips, and tongue of the righteous, just or wise man? What do they say
about the mouth or lips of the foolish man?
A Sister's thoughts
(1) Not only is gossip a habit, it is a sin.
(2) Yes, we should pray for a spirit of acceptance, but only so far as what
another is doing is not clearly against the word of God. We must never accept
what is clearly not pleasing to the Lord. If we know another is doing something
that is obviously not pleasing to the Lord, then our prayer for them should not
be one of acceptance; rather, our prayers should be that somehow their eyes
would be opened. Maybe we have a physical part in that … or maybe our part is
to 'just' pray. We should also pray for discernment and wisdom.
(3) I agree it is easier to love
someone that is 'winsome and gracious', however I also think it is easy (if not
even easier) to love someone we 'click' with &/or someone that is a godly
person. It seems that with some, spirits connect instantly, while with others,
it takes more work. We must be careful to be sure and reach out to those we do
not instantly connect with. I guarantee you and the other soul will be blessed.
(4) Every true believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him. The scriptures
are clear that only those who OBEY have the Spirit. (Acts 5:32)
