DECEPTIVE WORDS
Proverbs 26:23 NKJV
23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
I am fascinated by the correlation between our heart and our mouth. We are the only ones on the earth who can choose our words. Animals may communicate, but not nearly on the same level as those of us who were created in God’s image. The book of Proverbs devotes a significant amount of attention to our words. We see mouth, tongue, words, and lips, and obviously, this is more than an anatomical discourse. These phrases are about our words. Today, we see fervent lips. Some translations read burning lips, and I could use the phrase hot lips without employing too much literary license. But I digress.
Here is our verse for today taken from different translations. I believe they will add more insight. “Pretty words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a common clay pot.” The Living Bible. “Burning lips [uttering insincere words of love] and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel covered with the scum thrown off from molten silver [making it appear to be solid silver].” The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. “Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent [a] lips with an evil heart.” New International Version. There is a footnote in the NIV beside the word fervent and indicates another meaning for fervent in the Hebrew is smooth. We have all heard of people who are smooth talkers. Typically, the smooth talker label comes with a warning: smooth but tricky. Watch your wallet. And in many cases, watch your heart.
We get the overall idea of this one verse by looking at the different translations. Words like pretty, insincere, and smooth speak to the deception that these words cover up. A clay pot covered in silver dross, not quality silver but a glaze, can appear to be a silver vessel that has value. But the silver glaze only covers up the real construction of the pot. The pot is clay but is presenting itself as silver. That is deception. Someone who uses pretty words but does not mean what they say is deceptive. And the proverb speaks of a wicked heart. This is someone who, at their core, is evil, in error, guilty, wrong.
The challenge is being able to discern the difference between someone who has a good heart and is speaking good words from someone pretending to be good. How do we keep from being deceived? I can’t claim to have all the answers, but here are a couple of ideas. Be on guard with someone who lays praise on heavily. I knew of a person who would complement and praise a lot on a regular basis. What I also noticed is that the praise was followed by a request, they wanted something. Another thing to watch for is the people who dole out the praise but are looking for followers. If you don’t follow them, the praise fountain dries up. One more thing that will help us discern the silver pots from the fake silver pots is to not be too hungry for praise yourself. Many people are so hungry for any kind of affirmation that they will swallow insincere, pretty words because it makes them feel special. Then, they wind up being disappointed when they hear that same praise and affirmation being given to everyone. Proverbs 27:7 says, “to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”
Good, sincere encouragement from people with no agenda is valuable. I am all for good words spoken into our lives. Sincere words from a sincere heart can lift others and plant seeds of life. Words are important. We need to speak good words that impart grace and build up those around us, as long as our words are for their benefit, not for our personal gain.