The book of Proverbs contains many wise sayings and teachings about how to live a godly life. Proverbs 12:18 states: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” This verse contrasts the harmful words of foolish people with the helpful words of the wise.
Let’s break down the meaning and importance of this proverb:
The Tongue Has Power for Good or Evil
Solomon often uses metaphors involving the tongue in Proverbs to illustrate how powerfully our words affect others. Just as a sword can inflict mortal wounds, rash or unwise words can deeply hurt people. But wise words can also bring healing and restoration.
James 3:5-6 echoes this idea: “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…” Our tongues have immense power to build others up or tear them down (Proverbs 15:4). We must use wisdom in how we speak.
The Wise Bring Health Through Their Words
What does it mean that the tongue of the wise “promotes health” or “brings healing”? First, it implies that wisdom values emotional, relational, and spiritual well-being, not just physical health. Wise words can bring inner healing by offering:
- Comfort in grief (Job 2:11)
- Encouragement in hardship (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- Hope amid despair (Psalm 34:17-18)
- Forgiveness for wrongs (Colossians 3:13)
- Love to counter loneliness (Proverbs 12:25)
The tongue of the wise promotes whole-person flourishing by applying biblical truth with grace, empathy, and love.
Wise Words Restore Relationships
Foolish words often tear down relationships through gossip, slander, boasting, and anger (Proverbs 11:9; 16:28, 18:21). But the wise speak life into broken connections by:
- Giving gentle answers instead of reacting in anger (Proverbs 15:1)
- Staying calm and reasonable in arguments (Proverbs 29:11)
- Offering sincere apologies and working through conflict (Matthew 5:23-24)
- Granting forgiveness freely to others (Ephesians 4:32)
Seasoned with salt, wise words promote peace, patience, honesty, and reconciliation (Colossians 4:6).
The Wise Speak Constructively
Rash words tear down, but wise words build up. The tongue of the wise promotes health by:
- Giving thanks and praise which uplifts hearts (Psalm 141:3)
- Sharing wisdom that guides and instructs (Proverbs 10:31)
- Speaking kindly and supportively (Proverbs 16:24)
- Rebuking gently, when needed (Proverbs 25:12)
- Voicing hard truths with love (Ephesians 4:15)
The wise do not shy away from hard messages, but temper frankness with patience and grace. Their words build up others in faith and character.
The Wise Control Their Tongues
Since words hold such sway over hearts, the wise take care in how they speak. They promote health by:
- Listening more than talking (Proverbs 29:20)
- Thinking before speaking (Proverbs 15:28)
- Holding their tongue when angry (Proverbs 21:23)
- Avoiding exaggerations and lies (Ephesians 4:25)
- Keeping secrets and prohibiting gossip (Proverbs 11:13)
The tongue of the wise is trained through humility, self-control, patience, and care for others. Rightly used, it powerfully promotes spiritual and relational health.
Jesus’ Words Bring Ultimate Healing
Jesus Christ embodied the tongue of the wise described in Proverbs. His words overflowed with grace and truth, constructing up broken lives through hope, joy, and forgiveness (John 1:14). By taking God’s wrath for sin upon Himself, Jesus’ words bring our souls ultimate healing and restoration with God (Isaiah 53:4-6).
When our tongues are submitted to Jesus, He grants wisdom on how to speak words of life (Colossians 3:16-17). Our speech changes when Jesus redeems our hearts.
Applying the Wisdom of Proverbs
How can we cultivate the tongue of the wise today? Here are some tips:
- Listen first. Wait to speak until you understand a situation.
- Think before speaking. Don’t react rashly. Consider your words.
- Match tone to context. Should you encourage, rebuke, discuss, listen?
- Speak the truth in love. Be honest but focus on building others up in Christ.
- Be quick to forgive. Let go of grudges and reconcile relationships.
- Control your tongue. No gossip, slander, exaggeration, etc.
Of course we will stumble in speech, but the Spirit enables progress as we seek wisdom from above. With patient practice, our words can increasingly become agents of grace, healing and hope.
In summary, Proverbs teaches that the tongue of the wise brings healing through words of biblical truth, empathy, restraint, and grace that mend fractured hearts, restore relationships, and constructively build others up in love. Our greatest example is Christ, whose words bring eternal healing and redemption. As we walk with Him, our tongues become more yielded to serve, support, and speak life.