Walking with the Wise #88: Words to Live By

“By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.”
—Proverbs 11:11

At the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta courageously led 300 Spartans against King Xerxes of Persia and his massive army. History reports vary, but the contemporary version has Leonidas successfully defending Sparta against the Persians in a small stretch of land, which made it easily defensible against superior forces and, therefore, impassable— which it was until a traitor named Ephialtes told Xerxes of a mountain path around Thermopylae and offered to guide the Persian army through it. It was that piece of information that led to the defeat of the Spartans.

Whenever we are living the lives that God desires, righteousness and justice and thereby truth are exalted among men. Society flourishes whenever truth is one of the most prized possessions, but in a society that lives more according to Pilate’s maxim, “What is truth?”--lies are more prevalent, making truth that much more valuable. One thing is for sure, however; it is by the mouth of the wicked that cities and lives are overthrown. Just as Ephiatles enabled the Spartans to be overthrown, so too do lies, slanderous accusations and gossip destroy the lives of others.

Does our speech exalt a city or destroy it? Are we building others up or are we destroying them? May God use our words to bless others, helping them to see and experience the truth of God’s saving act of redemption in and through Christ—the one true word (cf. John 1:1) that is able to save the whole world. Amen.