Apples and Earrings of Gold

(Prov. 25:11, 12)

I continue to consider this thought.  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  We look to speak words that will edify, that will encourage, that bring life.  I don’t believe it is necessary to say but we ought not say everything that comes to mind.  When we find ourselves in an argument and the heat is rising, we often do best to simply shut up.  So often we add fuel to the fire.  We can destroy relationships and set wars in motion through words.  James warns us of this. See James 3:5 & 6.

On the other hand, words flowing from the Holy Spirit, can set hearts ablaze for Christ.  Jesus spoke words that brought life.  He also hid parts of His message to draw men to the truth.  I am thinking of the parables and how Jesus addressed those blind in self-righteousness.  That is the heart, the foundation of “religion”.  We think we can justify ourselves before God by some self-initiated behavior.  We revert to outward behavior.  We bring a “sacrifice” to God that He did not call for, or initiate.  To such people, Jesus spoke an indirect message in parables.  He also performed works beyond the natural realm.  Along with the miracles, He spoke the truth.  In this He was seen by many as a prophet.  He is that and so very much more than that.  He spoke words that were initiated by His Father.

His words flow perfectly in the Spirit.  And I write without presumption, but in faith, as led by the same Spirit.  If that sounds prideful, it is not.  It is in humility, and in obedience to what the Lord directly spoke to me and led me.  He has specifically called me to pray, and to write.  I have been listening to Him and sitting at His feet for 45 years.  And as many have been called to ministry, I too have been called and chosen to do what He directs me to do.  Be careful to stay in the place of listening.  We too easily slide off into side streams.  A brother recently said to me, “Stay in your lane.”  He delivered it as encouragement, and yet it has a corrective aspect.  Jesus Himself said He was sent to the lost sheep of the house (family) of Israel.  He stayed mostly within those specific boundaries.  He never went to Rome Himself.

We are all in different stages of relationship and true spiritual growth.  We need to give others room to grow.  If we are in a prayer meeting, and someone’s prayer is not as aligned as we are with His purposes, don’t always correct them.  Pray for their spiritual growth.  As you may have opportunity, encourage them in the truth.  We must be patient, forgiving.  Ultimately, we are not their Father.  Our Father sees them and knows them in a way we don’t, and never will.  I have been corrected sometimes rightly and sometimes not.  I have learned to ask the Lord about it so that I get the real message.  He is the only perfect teacher but we still learn from each other as well.

My words are expressions of the truth in the Bible.  When I speak to the Lord’s people, I only want to speak what is of and from, the Lord.  Will my words always be perfect?  Only One speaks the truth perfectly.  The apostles who wrote the gospels and the letters had close spiritual walks with the Lord.  He desires that for all of us.  The words that the Lord Himself, in that still (quiet) small voice, would speak to us are apples of gold.  If what we think does not line up with what’s written we should question those thoughts.  When something is called gold it is divine.  It’s from God.  It has His life in it.  It produces goodness, righteousness, in the one who hears and receives it.  It brings faith.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by a word of God.  And that is the rhema, the spoken, the uttered word of God.  This is spiritual speech, and it has at times been physically heard.  I am thinking of the very voice of God.

So the apples of gold are those words that are from God.  Jesus said I only speak the things that my Father speaks.  He spent much time in prayer, in communication with His Father.  He was perfectly in tune with His Father.  He would by His Spirit lead us into such a walk. The rest of that proverb refers to these words as set in silver.  That picture makes me think of a sculpture with golden apples and a border, a frame, of silver.  Or perhaps it’s like a ring, where in place of diamonds, we have golden apples.  The setting is pure silver.  It’s a beautiful picture.  Silver represents redemption.  The words of God that bring His life are framed with His redemption.