A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
A word fitly spoken is a word spoken at the right time and in the right way, with tact, wisdom and care, suited to the hearers, their need and the occasion. It is precious, beautiful and of great value, like golden fruit displayed in a fine silver setting. Such speech comes from a pure, sanctified heart and an ennobled mind, from communion with God and abiding in Christ, and it depends on the Holy Spirit to keep the speaker gentle, self-controlled and timely. Kind, helpful words of sympathy, hope and courage bring peace and rest to hurting and discouraged hearts, strengthen the young in faith, and under the Spirit can save a soul from death and turn a heart to God. Words spoken unfitly, in harshness, passion or carelessness, have the opposite effect, wounding souls, driving people away and bringing devastation like desolating hail.
Meaning of the Picture
A fitly spoken word is a word spoken at the right time and in the right way, with tact, wisdom, judiciousness and care. Such timing and manner make speech precious and beautiful, like gold set in silver, and give it a powerful heart-softening effect that helps rather than turns people away. In giving advice, reproof and warning, this means speaking judiciously so that the word benefits the humble, obedient, patient and teachable listener, while faithfulness in the messenger refreshes those who sent him. Gentle, pure, uplifting and holy words come from a sanctified heart and are supported by consistent godly conduct, keeping their value amid hurry, pride, selfishness, greed, violence and conflict. Words empowered by holy influence can then reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth, whereas harsh words spoken without sound judgment have a destructive influence like desolating hail that drives people from the church and leaves them hard to reach again.
Such a word is precious, beautiful and valuable, like golden fruit displayed in silver settings or baskets rightly set. When the mind is pure and lifted by divine truth, speech takes on the same character and becomes fitting and gracious rather than cheap and profitless, and conversation about Christ and heaven shows learning from the divine Teacher. It is of the highest importance. The words of those truly living without sin carry the sweet spirit of Christ and leave a holy influence, and their very presence brings holy angels into the assembly, the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Fittingness also means suitability to the hearers, the need and the occasion. Words suited to the need bring peace and rest to hurting, oppressed and sorely stricken hearts, and words of hope, courage, care and sympathy help wounded souls trust in Jesus and continue on the heavenward way. Hopeful, encouraging words belong to restoring and rescuing discouraged people struggling with intemperance, while harsh or thoughtless words can wound a struggling soul and hinder listening to Christ. In caring for those young in faith, such suited words encourage and strengthen them, and words about Jesus' love spoken to children can remain with them and help win them to Christ. Christ's own words were perfectly suited to people and occasion, for at feasts He spoke with clarity and simplicity, giving life-giving lessons that held His hearers' attention.
The command to do to others whatever one would have them do to oneself is itself such a fitly spoken word. It is precious and beautiful like gold set in silver, a principle of the highest importance to be strictly obeyed in dealings with others. It is to be impressed on large groups and on people in responsible positions. Teachers and leaders are to model it by treating apprentices and others with the consideration they would want if circumstances were reversed.
Source of Fitting Speech
Fitting speech grows out of a pure mind whose thoughts are ennobled and lifted by divine truth, so that the words themselves take on that same beautiful and valuable character like gold set in silver. When Christ and heaven fill the thoughts, conversation turns to Christ and heaven, and that heavenly conversation is the evidence that the mind is centered there. Such learning from the divine Teacher makes speech gracious and profitable, in contrast to earthly, cheap, profitless talk.
It comes from a pure and sanctified heart, matched by consistent godly conduct, so that gentle, pure, serious, uplifting and holy words spoken at the right time and in the right way remain precious and beautiful even amid hurry, pride, selfishness, greed, violence and conflict. A life governed by divine peace speaks with care, and communion with God keeps speech from cheapness and carelessness so that it conveys what the Holy Spirit would have said. Words shaped by Christ's love and character carry His fragrance and religion, reflect faith and Jesus, and bring life rather than harm. Gentle, pure words in favor of truth can disarm opposition and help win souls, while careless, trivial, harsh, selfish or denunciatory speech weakens witness and drives people farther from truth; faithful words and godly conversation can do good even when the effect is not immediately seen, leaving results to God.
Timely, fitting speech depends on the power and holy influence of the Holy Spirit, which keeps the speaker's spirit gentle and self-controlled and enables the right words at the right time. Words empowered in this way can reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth, and in moments of danger can draw people toward safety. Even a trembling person sharing the precious Word can, as the Spirit works with the human agent, turn a heart to God, for the strength is from God and not the speaker; the one converted then becomes an instrument to pass on the truth received, so that one steadily burning lamp lights many others. Spoken with tenderness and the Spirit's help at the right time, words make the right impression.
Such words come from a spiritually healthy experience and from a soul refreshed by the waters of salvation, and they in turn refresh and build up others in Christ, strengthening and guiding them, and can be spoken cheerfully without jesting or joking. In God's work speech is to reflect truth and right principles, beautiful and valuable when fitly spoken, with no deviation from truth in word or action. Without that healthy experience, influence may harm rather than bless.
Those who truly live without sin and faithfully represent Christ speak these fitting words, precious, beautiful and rightly set, reflecting Christ's spirit and religion and doing precious work for God. Their very presence brings holy angels into the assembly, and their words carry the sweet spirit of Christ and leave a holy influence, the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Power for Good
Wisely offered counsel, correction, and caution are precious and lovely when delivered at a fitting moment and in a fitting manner, and they do good to the one who receives them with humility, patience, and a willing, teachable spirit. A wise reprover is a blessing to an obedient hearer, and a trustworthy messenger brings refreshment to those who sent him. Tactful selection and timely utterance give words a softening power over the heart, so they help instead of repelling. Such well-chosen, kindly speech exerts an uplifting influence like acts of mercy, expressing a Christlike character rather than harshness and unseemly conduct. When believers in Christian love uphold one another for mutual good, good words spoken at the right time and in the right way bear visible fruit.
Helpful, encouraging speech is a valuable gift to be used faithfully, and words of kindness, sympathy, and compassion exert a strong influence for good. Words suited to the need can bring peace and rest to a hurting person and to hearts sorely stricken, while words of hope and courage aid the oppressed. Speaking with care and sympathy helps wounded souls trust in Jesus and keep moving along the heavenward way. Hopeful words that hearten discouraged persons struggling with intemperance are part of restoring and rescuing them.
Words suited to the need are lovely and costly, and the church should use them to encourage and strengthen those who are young or new in faith. Such timely, fitting words flow from a soul refreshed by the waters of salvation and help refresh and build up others in Christ, and they can be spoken cheerfully without jesting or joking. Words spoken to children about the love of Jesus can stay with them, prove lasting and spiritually valuable, and help win them to Christ.
Gentle, pure, earnest words in behalf of truth, joined to consistent Christian conduct, can disarm opposition and help win souls, and faithful words and godly conversation can do good even when their effect is not at once seen, so the speaker is to do the work and leave results to God. A word spoken fittingly and at the right time can be of great worth and may even save a soul from death. Words empowered by holy influence can reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth. In moments of danger a timely word spoken under the Holy Spirit's influence can draw persons toward safety. Even a trembling sharer of God's precious Word may, because strength comes from God and the Holy Spirit works with the human agent, turn a heart to God, and the converted one becomes an instrument to pass on received truth, so that one steadily burning lamp lights many others.
Christ's own speech was perfectly suited to people and occasion, for at feasts He taught with clarity and simplicity, giving life-giving lessons that held the attention of His hearers.
Harm of Unfit Words
A fitting word is beautiful and valuable because it is spoken at the right time and in the right way, while an unfit word has the opposite effect and brings devastation. In the work for the church such speech does not strengthen but scatters and injures, for harsh and severe words drive people away from fellowship and may put them beyond reach. Words spoken in passion dishonor God, disgrace the speaker, and bring harm to the hearers, since speech is a precious gift whose well-chosen use has great worth and beauty. Careless, trivial, harsh, selfish, or denunciatory speech weakens Christian witness and drives people farther from the truth, whereas gentle, pure, serious words in favor of truth can disarm opposition and win souls. Harsh, cutting speech and contentious argument do not belong to speech governed by God's peace, and a gentle, kind, courteous life influences others more effectively than forceful argument.
Harsh or thoughtless words can wound a struggling soul and hinder it from listening to Christ, while words suited to the need bring peace and rest to the hurting. Harsh, censorious, suspicious, or discouraging words deepen temptation, cause stumbling, and contribute to spiritual ruin, in contrast to words in keeping with Christ's character and teaching that are precious like a beautiful work of art and bring peace. Careless, harsh, or discouraging words can cause lasting harm and even contribute to a soul's spiritual ruin, while speech shaped by love for Christ and reflection on His character blesses others and helps make homes places of peace. Such blessing flows from a spiritually healthy experience that strengthens and guides others, and without that experience influence may harm rather than bless.
Words suited to the moment are precious and beautiful like golden fruit in a silver setting, and they should sound pleasing to heaven rather than wound and bruise others like blasting hail. The fitting word carries the sweet spirit of Christ and leaves a holy influence, with holy angels brought into the assembly by those truly living without sin, which is the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Speaking Fitly at Home and Work
A word fitly spoken to employees is precious and beautiful in its effect, like gold set in silver, and is to be spoken suitably and at the right time with care and kindness. Managers, especially restaurant managers in caring for their helpers, are to speak with patient, tender care as they teach spiritual things and guide employees toward Christian character. That instruction is to come from the Scriptures and is meant to help workers grow in Christian character, courage, and faith and to strengthen their character and faith. Such speech and action must be free from selfishness and harshness.
In training children who are learning household work, early mistakes are to be met with patience rather than cross words. One encouraging word spoken at the right time is precious and fitting, and it can keep a child from feeling sad and discouraged and turn a failure into a lasting lesson. Each kindly thought, patient action, and wisely restrained word in a mother's dealings with her child is likewise precious and beautiful. Such words and actions help lead the child toward willing submission rather than defiance, and their wise use brings the mother victory and renewed experience.
Fittingly spoken words of comfort can be precious and beautiful, as when a comforting letter brought hope to Sister Bourdeau. Words shaped by love for Christ, reflection on His character, and abiding in Him are beautiful, fitting, and valuable, speaking of faith and Jesus. Such speech blesses others and helps make homes places of peace by offering light and encouragement rather than discouragement or doubt. Careless, harsh, or discouraging words, by contrast, can cause lasting harm and even contribute to a soul's spiritual ruin.
A word fitly spoken is a word spoken at the right time and in the right way, with tact, wisdom and care, suited to the hearers, their need and the occasion. It is precious, beautiful and of great value, like golden fruit displayed in a fine silver setting. Such speech comes from a pure, sanctified heart and an ennobled mind, from communion with God and abiding in Christ, and it depends on the Holy Spirit to keep the speaker gentle, self-controlled and timely. Kind, helpful words of sympathy, hope and courage bring peace and rest to hurting and discouraged hearts, strengthen the young in faith, and under the Spirit can save a soul from death and turn a heart to God. Words spoken unfitly, in harshness, passion or carelessness, have the opposite effect, wounding souls, driving people away and bringing devastation like desolating hail.
Meaning of the Picture
A fitly spoken word is a word spoken at the right time and in the right way, with tact, wisdom, judiciousness and care. Such timing and manner make speech precious and beautiful, like gold set in silver, and give it a powerful heart-softening effect that helps rather than turns people away. In giving advice, reproof and warning, this means speaking judiciously so that the word benefits the humble, obedient, patient and teachable listener, while faithfulness in the messenger refreshes those who sent him. Gentle, pure, uplifting and holy words come from a sanctified heart and are supported by consistent godly conduct, keeping their value amid hurry, pride, selfishness, greed, violence and conflict. Words empowered by holy influence can then reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth, whereas harsh words spoken without sound judgment have a destructive influence like desolating hail that drives people from the church and leaves them hard to reach again.
Such a word is precious, beautiful and valuable, like golden fruit displayed in silver settings or baskets rightly set. When the mind is pure and lifted by divine truth, speech takes on the same character and becomes fitting and gracious rather than cheap and profitless, and conversation about Christ and heaven shows learning from the divine Teacher. It is of the highest importance. The words of those truly living without sin carry the sweet spirit of Christ and leave a holy influence, and their very presence brings holy angels into the assembly, the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Fittingness also means suitability to the hearers, the need and the occasion. Words suited to the need bring peace and rest to hurting, oppressed and sorely stricken hearts, and words of hope, courage, care and sympathy help wounded souls trust in Jesus and continue on the heavenward way. Hopeful, encouraging words belong to restoring and rescuing discouraged people struggling with intemperance, while harsh or thoughtless words can wound a struggling soul and hinder listening to Christ. In caring for those young in faith, such suited words encourage and strengthen them, and words about Jesus' love spoken to children can remain with them and help win them to Christ. Christ's own words were perfectly suited to people and occasion, for at feasts He spoke with clarity and simplicity, giving life-giving lessons that held His hearers' attention.
The command to do to others whatever one would have them do to oneself is itself such a fitly spoken word. It is precious and beautiful like gold set in silver, a principle of the highest importance to be strictly obeyed in dealings with others. It is to be impressed on large groups and on people in responsible positions. Teachers and leaders are to model it by treating apprentices and others with the consideration they would want if circumstances were reversed.
Source of Fitting Speech
Fitting speech grows out of a pure mind whose thoughts are ennobled and lifted by divine truth, so that the words themselves take on that same beautiful and valuable character like gold set in silver. When Christ and heaven fill the thoughts, conversation turns to Christ and heaven, and that heavenly conversation is the evidence that the mind is centered there. Such learning from the divine Teacher makes speech gracious and profitable, in contrast to earthly, cheap, profitless talk.
It comes from a pure and sanctified heart, matched by consistent godly conduct, so that gentle, pure, serious, uplifting and holy words spoken at the right time and in the right way remain precious and beautiful even amid hurry, pride, selfishness, greed, violence and conflict. A life governed by divine peace speaks with care, and communion with God keeps speech from cheapness and carelessness so that it conveys what the Holy Spirit would have said. Words shaped by Christ's love and character carry His fragrance and religion, reflect faith and Jesus, and bring life rather than harm. Gentle, pure words in favor of truth can disarm opposition and help win souls, while careless, trivial, harsh, selfish or denunciatory speech weakens witness and drives people farther from truth; faithful words and godly conversation can do good even when the effect is not immediately seen, leaving results to God.
Timely, fitting speech depends on the power and holy influence of the Holy Spirit, which keeps the speaker's spirit gentle and self-controlled and enables the right words at the right time. Words empowered in this way can reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth, and in moments of danger can draw people toward safety. Even a trembling person sharing the precious Word can, as the Spirit works with the human agent, turn a heart to God, for the strength is from God and not the speaker; the one converted then becomes an instrument to pass on the truth received, so that one steadily burning lamp lights many others. Spoken with tenderness and the Spirit's help at the right time, words make the right impression.
Such words come from a spiritually healthy experience and from a soul refreshed by the waters of salvation, and they in turn refresh and build up others in Christ, strengthening and guiding them, and can be spoken cheerfully without jesting or joking. In God's work speech is to reflect truth and right principles, beautiful and valuable when fitly spoken, with no deviation from truth in word or action. Without that healthy experience, influence may harm rather than bless.
Those who truly live without sin and faithfully represent Christ speak these fitting words, precious, beautiful and rightly set, reflecting Christ's spirit and religion and doing precious work for God. Their very presence brings holy angels into the assembly, and their words carry the sweet spirit of Christ and leave a holy influence, the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Power for Good
Wisely offered counsel, correction, and caution are precious and lovely when delivered at a fitting moment and in a fitting manner, and they do good to the one who receives them with humility, patience, and a willing, teachable spirit. A wise reprover is a blessing to an obedient hearer, and a trustworthy messenger brings refreshment to those who sent him. Tactful selection and timely utterance give words a softening power over the heart, so they help instead of repelling. Such well-chosen, kindly speech exerts an uplifting influence like acts of mercy, expressing a Christlike character rather than harshness and unseemly conduct. When believers in Christian love uphold one another for mutual good, good words spoken at the right time and in the right way bear visible fruit.
Helpful, encouraging speech is a valuable gift to be used faithfully, and words of kindness, sympathy, and compassion exert a strong influence for good. Words suited to the need can bring peace and rest to a hurting person and to hearts sorely stricken, while words of hope and courage aid the oppressed. Speaking with care and sympathy helps wounded souls trust in Jesus and keep moving along the heavenward way. Hopeful words that hearten discouraged persons struggling with intemperance are part of restoring and rescuing them.
Words suited to the need are lovely and costly, and the church should use them to encourage and strengthen those who are young or new in faith. Such timely, fitting words flow from a soul refreshed by the waters of salvation and help refresh and build up others in Christ, and they can be spoken cheerfully without jesting or joking. Words spoken to children about the love of Jesus can stay with them, prove lasting and spiritually valuable, and help win them to Christ.
Gentle, pure, earnest words in behalf of truth, joined to consistent Christian conduct, can disarm opposition and help win souls, and faithful words and godly conversation can do good even when their effect is not at once seen, so the speaker is to do the work and leave results to God. A word spoken fittingly and at the right time can be of great worth and may even save a soul from death. Words empowered by holy influence can reach hungry, unbelieving souls and persuade them toward truth. In moments of danger a timely word spoken under the Holy Spirit's influence can draw persons toward safety. Even a trembling sharer of God's precious Word may, because strength comes from God and the Holy Spirit works with the human agent, turn a heart to God, and the converted one becomes an instrument to pass on received truth, so that one steadily burning lamp lights many others.
Christ's own speech was perfectly suited to people and occasion, for at feasts He taught with clarity and simplicity, giving life-giving lessons that held the attention of His hearers.
Harm of Unfit Words
A fitting word is beautiful and valuable because it is spoken at the right time and in the right way, while an unfit word has the opposite effect and brings devastation. In the work for the church such speech does not strengthen but scatters and injures, for harsh and severe words drive people away from fellowship and may put them beyond reach. Words spoken in passion dishonor God, disgrace the speaker, and bring harm to the hearers, since speech is a precious gift whose well-chosen use has great worth and beauty. Careless, trivial, harsh, selfish, or denunciatory speech weakens Christian witness and drives people farther from the truth, whereas gentle, pure, serious words in favor of truth can disarm opposition and win souls. Harsh, cutting speech and contentious argument do not belong to speech governed by God's peace, and a gentle, kind, courteous life influences others more effectively than forceful argument.
Harsh or thoughtless words can wound a struggling soul and hinder it from listening to Christ, while words suited to the need bring peace and rest to the hurting. Harsh, censorious, suspicious, or discouraging words deepen temptation, cause stumbling, and contribute to spiritual ruin, in contrast to words in keeping with Christ's character and teaching that are precious like a beautiful work of art and bring peace. Careless, harsh, or discouraging words can cause lasting harm and even contribute to a soul's spiritual ruin, while speech shaped by love for Christ and reflection on His character blesses others and helps make homes places of peace. Such blessing flows from a spiritually healthy experience that strengthens and guides others, and without that experience influence may harm rather than bless.
Words suited to the moment are precious and beautiful like golden fruit in a silver setting, and they should sound pleasing to heaven rather than wound and bruise others like blasting hail. The fitting word carries the sweet spirit of Christ and leaves a holy influence, with holy angels brought into the assembly by those truly living without sin, which is the opposite of testimony that causes that sweet spirit to withdraw and leaves a chilling influence.
Speaking Fitly at Home and Work
A word fitly spoken to employees is precious and beautiful in its effect, like gold set in silver, and is to be spoken suitably and at the right time with care and kindness. Managers, especially restaurant managers in caring for their helpers, are to speak with patient, tender care as they teach spiritual things and guide employees toward Christian character. That instruction is to come from the Scriptures and is meant to help workers grow in Christian character, courage, and faith and to strengthen their character and faith. Such speech and action must be free from selfishness and harshness.
In training children who are learning household work, early mistakes are to be met with patience rather than cross words. One encouraging word spoken at the right time is precious and fitting, and it can keep a child from feeling sad and discouraged and turn a failure into a lasting lesson. Each kindly thought, patient action, and wisely restrained word in a mother's dealings with her child is likewise precious and beautiful. Such words and actions help lead the child toward willing submission rather than defiance, and their wise use brings the mother victory and renewed experience.
Fittingly spoken words of comfort can be precious and beautiful, as when a comforting letter brought hope to Sister Bourdeau. Words shaped by love for Christ, reflection on His character, and abiding in Him are beautiful, fitting, and valuable, speaking of faith and Jesus. Such speech blesses others and helps make homes places of peace by offering light and encouragement rather than discouragement or doubt. Careless, harsh, or discouraging words, by contrast, can cause lasting harm and even contribute to a soul's spiritual ruin.