Tiny Devotional for Saturday, 12-19-2020

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who dropped by, many joyful hugs!

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
Proverbs 19:1, NASB

I reiterate part of yesterday’s Tiny Devotional: poverty is not a virtue to be sought. However, integrity exalts a person, regardless of economics.

I did enough word study on the term ‘perverse speech’ to be confident that it’s not talking about vulgar language, but lies. 

QUESTION: Are all those who are perverse in speech fools?

Perverse speech also isn’t mixing up words, or what your mama does when she calls you by the names of your brothers and sisters, then smites you, because you KNOW who she is talking to!

Two examples of acquaintances who lied a lot: 

  • A high school classmate. He was a charming, outgoing guy, and it took me a bit to discover that he would rather lie than tell the truth, even when he lied to his own harm. 
  • A former employee. He would lie just to have something to say, and be included in discussions. 

Were they fools? 

I’m thinking a fool can’t recognize wisdom, and doesn’t learn from mistakes. How does a liar stack up to that definition?

  • When a liar expects you to believe their lies, and gets irate when you don’t, that’s Fool-Land. (I’ve lived there, as a teen.)
  • When a liar BELIEVES their own lies, that’s Fool-City. (Lived there, too.)

What about:

  • “Officer, I didn’t realize I was speeding!”
  • “That’s not a new (“gun”, “dress”). I’ve had that forever!”
  • “Your child is so adorable!”
  • “I love that hairstyle!”

Oops. 

I think I just crossed a line.

Peace be on your household.

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