Thoughts of Grace

Notes from Bible Study Tuesday evening:

you would think Helene and I had a conversation about the way we speak to one another. I’m taking the scriptures and definitions she used,  some thoughts from Clarke’s Commentary and my two-cents to further describe Proverbs 31:26

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Proverbs 15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Helene  —  soft  —   quiet soothing in sound

Clarke  — . . .one angry word will always beget another, for the disposition of one spirit always begets its own likeness in another: thus kindness produces kindness, and rage produces rage.

Proverbs 15:2  The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

Clarke  —  Useth knowledge aright – This is very difficult to know: – when to speak, and when to be silent; what to speak, and what to leave unspoken; the manner that is best and most suitable to the occasion, the subject, the circumstances, and the persons.

Proverbs 15:3  The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:4  A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

My wanderings during the lesson  —  Psalms 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

picture credit cc-sandiego.org

Colossians 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Helene  —  grace  —  capacity to tolerate accommodate and forgive
Clarke  —  Let all your conversation be such as may tend to exemplify and recommend Christianity; let it not only be holy, but wise, gracious, and intelligent. A harsh method of proposing or defending the doctrines of Christianity only serves to repel men from those doctrines, and from the way of salvation.

1Peter 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Helene  —  grace is found by exercising humility

My wanderings during the lesson  —  It sure takes humility to give a soft answer when the first reaction is usually defense.

Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

My wanderings during the lesson  —  Ephesians 4:29  Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. Amplified Bible

“Minister grace unto the hearers”!, but grace is unmerited favor, does that mean I’m to speak gently and kindly to others even when they don’t deserve it?

Proverbs 31:26, She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Amplified   —  She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness (giving counsel and instruction.

At all times  – softly, gracefully, skillfully, especially when I think they don’t deserve it.

I’m definitely a work in progress –.