Words: Consider the Source
(Proverbs 29:18, 19, 21, 22)
1. None of us doubt the power of words. This story illustrates it.
2. A group of Frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other Frogs gathered around the pit.
When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two Frogs that they were as good as dead.
The two Frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other Frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.
Finally, one of the Frogs took heed to what the other Frogs were saying and gave up.
He fell down and died.
The other Frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of Frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die.
He jumped even harder and finally made it OUT.
You see this Frog was deaf, unable to hear the others plea. He thought they were Encouraging him the entire time. [source: fropky.com]
3. Not all words, however, have the same power. Frog words must be especially powerful, because they normally cannot talk!
4. Seriously, though, there is a difference. God’s Word has power to propel us through life in Godliness, the word of man has some power, and the word of agitators can have a good dose of negative power.
Main Idea; When it comes to words, we need to consider the source.
I. The Power of God’s Word: Motivation by Prophetic VISION (18)
A. The PARTICULARS
In our day, we use the term “vision” for a plan, a direction, a dream. But the Hebrew word refers to a prophetic vision, a revelation from God.
1. Prophets who were on the scene.
I Samuel 3:1, “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision…”
• Many prophets, unrecorded in Scripture, who spoke to the Jewish people.
2. The direction and proclamation of the prophets recorded in God’s Word.
• We tend to narrow our understanding of prophets, but they would have been understood to include Moses and David, and, in a sense, all Scriptural authors.
3. Notice that the issue is obeying or unyoking ourselves from God’s Law.
B. The Principle: deep INTEREST in the Word of God does not guarantee obedience, but it MOTIVATES it.
1. When a person is regenerate, he or she is drawn to the Word, compelled by it.
2. Talking to a man at Krogers….
• He and wife elderly, needed to hire someone to move landscaping blocks.
• Man said, “My son is strong….”
• Young man said, “No, that is too much work….”
• Contractor: worker showed up only during bad weather….
3. We have a lot of unmotivated Christians, sometimes perhaps us “Weary….”
C. Losing interest in the Word of God nurtures the WRONG kind of freedom.
Amos 8:11, “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
D. Pursuing freedom from restraint makes the Word of God UNAPPEALING and obsolete.
The Word of God is powerful and motivating to one regenerated and walking in the Spirit.
II. The Weakness of Human Words ALONE to Correct Unproductive Attitudes (19, 21)
A. Education cannot guarantee MOTIVATION; some are motivated only by consequences or fear.
1. Just as the hard-hearted do not respond to the Word of God, so men with bad attitudes do not respond to the words of men.
2. Some servants, like Joseph while in Egypt, had great attitudes and rose…
3. It is not just slaves who have attitude problems…which is why we have rules and standards and consequences…negative motivations.
4. Some people are not positively motivated; it is simply a fact.
B. How you treat people creates EXPECTATIONS (21).
1. In the negative sense, a person can be spoiled and feel entitled.
2. In a positive sense, someone treated well might become devoted to his master.
3. Slavery had a different flavor in different cultures and eras…
4. They were often considered part of a household, and sometimes did inherit.
5. The Proverb itself does rule if God or bad, just what is likely to happen.
The word of man can be powerless to one bent on disobedience.
III. The AGITATING Effect of a Grouch’s Words (22)
A. This is a “man of,” meaning characteristic, not just an INCIDENT.
1. Most of us have had instances where we said mean things in anger.
2. But some people are perennially angry and discontent, “grouch.”
3. Joab was such a man. When Abner left Saul’s army to join David’s, Joab killed him because he was bitter. Joab also killed Absalom, David’s treasonous son, against David’s orders. Even David was afraid of Joab.
B. This hothead AGITATES others as an ongoing behavior.
1. There are grumpy people that everyone just ignores.
2. Then there are angry people who stir up controversy/drama.
3. They are unhappy people who cannot keep their unhappiness to themselves.
4. Marylu and tailgaters…
C. He not only sins much, but creates an environment that nurtures sin in OTHERS.
• A lot of media people are angry, agitating individuals.
The words of an angry, agitating man can de destructive to those he manipulates.
