Do Our Lips Offer Fruit?

I have highlighted the verse that I found intriguing each day.  This might be a different verse for you!!  Follow the lead of God, not me!

Day One

13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
    but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

² From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
    but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

³ Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

⁴ A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
    but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵ The righteous hate what is false,
    but the wicked make themselves a stench
    and bring shame on themselves.

From the “fruit of their lips”- have you ever thought about that?  Last week we learned that the Hebrew word for the edge of the sword is called the “mouth”. Words cut.  They can cut away the past and circumstances that need to be removed from our lives.  Words can cut those closest to us, driving them away. Our words should illustrate the power of God’s grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Our lips offer fruit to the ears of all of those around us.

Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the fruit that is possible through the indwelling of the holy Spirit:

^22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
^23-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
Our lips can offer fruit! Affection, compassion, a respect of righteousness and holiness that permeates people and our world. Our words can speak of loyalty and commitment.
Galatians 5:19-21 also speaks of rotten fruit.  Remember that satan always serves up the counterfeit of our loving God’s ways:

^19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.”

Our lives and our lips can usher rotten fruit into the Kingdom. When we have accumulated mental and emotional garbage, this spills out of our lips and clouds our judgement and how we perceive the world.  Loneliness, competitiveness and jealousy become our bed mates. A brutal temper….the list continues on in insecurity, jealousy, anger and loneliness spurring the mouth and directing speech.

Our lips, what kind of fruit are they blooming in the kingdom, in our homes and in our relationships?