A Word Fitly Spoken

Proverbs 25:11

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

This verse is powerful if you take the time to really think about it.

A word fitly spoken. Well, that seems to be the easy part—saying the right thing, at the right time, to the right person.

But then we get to: “like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

Now, if you have a good imagination—or if you love fresh-harvested apples as much as we do around here—this next part is easy to picture.

Imagine walking out to your beautiful orchard and picking the most perfect Golden Delicious apples. Or maybe your favorite is the sweet Ambrosia. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have an heirloom Grimes Golden tree. Whatever the variety, you gather a beautiful bunch of apples and bring them into your home for an upcoming gathering.

Then you pull out your grandmother’s silver bowl and carefully arrange them.

Stunning!

You step back and look at it, and a satisfied feeling washes over you. The hard work of planting, tending, harvesting, and even battling the tent worms was worth it when you see those beautiful apples sitting in the silver bowl your grandmother left especially for you. At the same time, happy memories of the moments you shared with her begin flooding your mind.

That whole picture is like a word fitly spoken.

It is simply satisfying.

There is no regret. No wondering whether you said the right thing or wishing you could take your words back. There is just the peace and satisfaction of knowing that God was glorified and you did His will.

And a “word fitly spoken” doesn’t have to be some great sermon delivered to a stadium full of people. It doesn’t even have to be a blog post that hundreds of people see.

It can be something as simple as saying “hello” to a stranger.

Ladies, sometimes it might be complimenting another woman on her outfit or hairstyle. Men, maybe it is offering an encouraging word about the work another man has done or recognizing the growth you see in his Biblical walk.

Now, please don’t go around lying to people just so you can say something nice! If you don’t like someone’s outfit, don’t tell them you do. That’s not a “word fitly spoken”—that’s just a lie.

There are also “fitly spoken” words that are much more difficult to say.

Those are the times when we have to go to a friend and say, “I was wrong,” or, “I need to talk to you about something…”

Sometimes those words are not received with love and joy. If you don’t believe me, read about the life of Jesus. He spoke many words that were exactly right and exactly necessary, yet they were not always received well.

Those words still need to be spoken.

But before you speak them, make sure you are right with God and approaching the situation with the right heart.

Jesus gives us a powerful example of this in Matthew 7:3–5. He describes someone pointing out a speck in another person’s eye while having a log in his own. Then, somehow, that person has the audacity to believe he is qualified to remove the speck while the log is still sticking out of his own eye!

There is an important lesson there.

If you cannot take guidance and criticism, be very careful about giving it.

If you are unwilling to examine your own heart, don’t be so quick to examine someone else’s.

And if you are not walking daily with God—and He isn’t the One leading you to have that difficult conversation—maybe it is better to keep your mouth shut. 🤐

A word fitly spoken is beautiful because it is more than simply saying something nice. It is saying what is right, at the right time, with the right heart.

And when that happens, it truly can be “like apples of gold in settings of silver.”