Day 102 – Wisdom

Proverbs 18:6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for blows. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. 8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body.

• God’s names:
• Adonay – God’s proper name
• Hagios Pneuma – Sacred, Holy, Violent Wind, Breath, Spirit
• Theos – Supreme Divinity
• Pater/Abba – Father
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Soter – Savior
• Kurios/KURIOS – Supreme Authority

• God’s character:
• Integrity
• Peaceable
• Merciful
• Wisdom
• Meek
• Understanding
• Willing to Yield
• Gentle
• Righteous

As young children you lived by the code: Sticks and stones will break the bones, but words will never hurt me. Therefore, children said whatever they wanted as they taunted and bullied their way through the formative years of their lives. If left unchecked, those same children grew up to say whatever they wanted and laughed at how what they said hurt others.

I learned it wasn’t sticks and stones I needed to worry about. Bones mend, but words sink into the heart and soul of a person to destroy them like cancer. Words can destroy more effectively than one realizes.

Solomon saw the harm careless words caused and spoke against the foolish and wayward tongue. When he instructed his tongue in what Adonay said in the Law, he used his tongue for the benefit of others and not their downfall.

An admonishment I heard often as a child but hear little of today is ‘hold your tongue’ or in other words think before you speak. Nobody thinks before they speak today, or at least it seems like it when people think and say things without thinking about what the other person might think or do because of thoughtless words. Ill words have caused people to commit suicide.

As Christians, you need to be careful about the words you say. Let the Hagios Pneuma guide your tongue, and you will find peace in your life instead of discontent.

Consider what James said about the tongue.

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Theos and Pater, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of Theos. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus, no spring yields both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Yeshuwa promoted peace. He told Peter that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. He told people to turn the other cheek.

Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (NKJV)

You might be thinking right now that Yeshuwa showed anger, when he took the whip to the money changers in the temple, or that He said He came to cause division.

Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ (NKJV)

Yeshuwa was talking about what the gospel would do to families. Not everyone would accept Him as their Soter and Kurios. Family members turned Christians over to the authorities during the early church. They were mauled by lions and burned at the stake in Roman arenas. The same thing will happen during the tribulation. Even today, it is hard to be a Christian in countries where being a Christian can get you killed.

No, what James referred to and what Yeshuwa spoke to the people about was how they were to treat their fellowman. They were speaking words of peace and living peacefully with each other as much as they were able. The same thing is true today.

When you live your life according to the golden rule, you will find peace in your life.

Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (NKJV)

Yeshuwa also told them they were to love Theos and their neighbor as they loved themselves.

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: YAHWEH our Elohiym, YAHWEH is one! 5 You will love YAHWEH your Elohiym with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:18 ‘You will not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you will love your neighbor as yourself: I am YAHWEH.

Matthew 22:37 Iesous said to him, “‘You will love KURIOS your Theos with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You will love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

When you obey Yeshuwa and live according to the Law to love Theos, and your neighbor as you love yourself, you won’t say anything that will destroy his life or his soul.

Let’s pray: Father, put a guard on my tongue so that nothing unwholesome comes out to destroy the heart and soul of anyone I meet. Give me a meek heart guided by wisdom and understanding. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 1 May 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux