Wisdom Wednesday - September 3-9 - The Power of Words - Proverbs 18:21

🌹 Message from the Women of Wisdom President 🌹

Dear Sisters,

This week’s devotional on The Power of Words will be a longer read, but it is designed to be completed over a 4-day journey. Please read carefully so you know what to do each day based on your participation level (GO Light 🌟 or GO Deep 💎).

⏰ Set aside a special time each day to prayerfully spend with the Word of God.
🙏 Do not rush this study. Let the Spirit guide you step by step as you read, reflect, and apply.

This is an opportunity not only to study but to be transformed—so let us approach it with reverence, patience, and joy.

📌 Important Instructions.

• Posting Day: All comments are due on Sunday, September 7.

• Daily Rhythm: This is not a “read once and forget” devotional. You must revisit the blog daily to complete each assigned segment.

• Proverbs Reading: Read one chapter of Proverbs daily. By Sunday, you will have completed Proverbs 1–7.

• Monday 8th: Come back and post if you read Proverbs 8.

• Tuesday 9th: Come back and post if you read Proverbs 9.

• Prayerful Reading: Take time to read the Scriptures slowly, prayerfully, and reverently. Ask God to speak to you and shape your heart.

• Respect for God’s Word: As Women of Wisdom, let us approach the Scriptures with honour, humility, and diligence.

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📅 Daily Schedule

• Wednesday 3rd → R – Read 📖 (Proverbs 18:21 + Supplementary Verses)

• Thursday 4th → O – Observe 👀 (Notice what the text says)

• Friday 5th → M – Meaning 🔎 (Interpret the text; Hebrew word studies + insights)

• Saturday 6th → P – Practice 🌱 & T – Thanksgiving 🙏 (Practical application, prayers for each temperament)

• Sunday 7th → S – Share 💬 (Post your responses according to GO Light or GO Deep instructions)

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✨ Whether you are GO Light 🌟 or GO Deep 💎, walk through each day prayerfully. Let the Spirit lead you. Remember:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” — Proverbs 18:21

If you have any questions, kindly contact me.  If you would like help on Sunday to comment, feel free to contact me or Sister Debbie, Sister Cindy or Sister Alanda.

With love and prayers,
GBPenny

🌟 Are you ready to start?

Let’s dig in together, Sisters! 📖✨

The Word of God is waiting to shape us, sharpen us, and strengthen us—one day, one chapter, one reflection at a time.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (NASB 1995)

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✨ Introduction

Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday! we dive into God’s Word using the PROMPTS Bible study method.

• P → Prayer 🙏 – Invite God to open your heart.
  R → Read 📖 – Read the Scripture aloud, slowly.
  O → Observe 👀 – Notice what the text says.
  M → Meaning 🔎 – Understand what it means.
  P → Practice 🌱 – Apply it to your life today.
  T → Thanksgiving 💬 – Thank God for His Word.
  S → Share 🕊 – Post your response in the comments.

💡 Please take your time with each segment during the week. 

This week, we revisit the power of words. Proverbs reminds us that our tongue carries the weight of life and death — what we say will eventually bear fruit.  Let's begin with prayer.

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WEDNESDAY 

P → Prayer 🙏

“Lord, open my eyes to see truth in Your Word, open my heart to receive correction, and open my spirit to be led by You. Let my words bring life and not death this week. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

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WEDNESDAY

R → Read 📖

Complete the Read (R) segment today, Wednesday 3. 

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
— Proverbs 18:21 (NASB 1995)

📖 Supplementary Reading:

• “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.” — Proverbs 12:18

• “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.” — Proverbs 15:4

• “The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little.” — Proverbs 10:20

📖 Slowly and Prayerfully Reread

Take your time with these verses. Go back and read them slowly—again and again—until they settle into your spirit. No rush. Let the Word get into you so real change can grow.

How to Practice (quick guide):

1. Pray: “Lord, open my heart.”

2. Read the verses aloud 2–3 times.

3. Pause on one phrase; underline it.

4. Pray it back to God in your own words.

5. Write in your notebook, one sentence on how you’ll live it today.

IN THE COMMENTS:

• GO Light 🌟
  You don’t have to do anything extra. On Tuesday, simply post whether you:
  1️⃣ Read Proverbs chapters 1–9
  2️⃣ Read this devotional each day

  That’s it—short and simple! ✅

• GO Deep 💎
  Prepare to share on Sunday, one word or phrase from this week's selected verse above (Proverbs 18:21) or supplementary verses above (Proverbs 12:18; 15:4; 10:20) and tell us why it is meaningful to you. Your reflection may encourage someone else on their journey. 🌿

🌅 Closing Thought

• That’s it for today. Take time to quietly meditate on what you’ve read and let it sink deep into your spirit. Come back on this page tomorrow, God willing, as we continue the journey together.
  
  

THURSDAY

O → Observe 👀

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

— Proverbs 18:21 (NASB 1995) 

Complete the Observe (O) segment today, Thursday 4.

 

Notice what the Proverbs 18:21 actually says and let the Word speak to you as you prepare for the next part of the study.

1. What does Solomon mean by “death and life”?

Meaning: Death (maveth) = ruin, destruction, despair. Life (chayyim) = flourishing, vitality, wholeness. 

Answer: Words can plant despair or inspire life.

2. How can the “tongue” have power?

Meaning: Power (yad) = “hand,” symbol of authority/control.
Tongue (lashon) = speech flowing from the heart. 

Answer: The tongue steers like a hand; words shape relationships and futures.

3. What does it mean to “love it”?

Meaning: Love (’ahav) = to delight in or pursue.
Answer: Those who delight in words (whether foolish or wise) will experience their consequences.

4. What is the “fruit” of the tongue?

Meaning: Fruit = outcome, harvest.
Answer: We will live with the results of our words — blessing or curse.

 

COMMENTS:

• GO Light 🌟
  You don’t have to do anything extra. On Tuesday, simply post whether you:

1️⃣ Read Proverbs chapters 1–9

2️⃣ Read this devotional each day

That’s it—short and simple! ✅

• GO Deep 💎
  Prepare to share in the comments on Sunday which observation question and answer stood out most to you and why it resonated. 

🌅 Closing Thought

• That’s it for today. Take time to quietly meditate on what you’ve observed from the text and let it sink deep into your spirit. Come back on this page tomorrow, God willing, as we continue the journey together.

FRIDAY

M → Meaning (interpreting the text) 🔎 - 

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
— Proverbs 18:21 (NASB 1995)

Complete the Meaning (M) segment today, Friday 5.

Proverbs 18:21 is short, but it carries enormous weight.  Take your time to ponder its meaning.

Your words have real agency. What you habitually speak can either nourish or poison—shaping relationships, reputations, and even your own inner life. Because we “eat the fruit” of our speech, we eventually live in the world our words helped create.

1. Key terms (quick Hebrew)

   “Death and life”

   • Maveth (death) isn’t just physical death but destruction, ruin, despair. Chayyim (life) is not mere existence — it’s vitality, flourishing, and well-being.

   • Words can either destroy confidence, joy, peace, and reputations or breathe healing, hope, and blessing.

   • Jesus affirms this in Matthew 12:37: “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

2. “Are in the power of the tongue”

   • Yad (power) means “hand” — symbolizing strength, authority, and control. Literally “in the hand”—control/agency.

   • Lashon (tongue) — speech/words.

   • James warns us: “The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (James 3:5–6).

3. “Those who love it”

   • Ahav (love) means to delight in or pursue.

   • Those who love to use their tongue (i.e., frequent talkers) or who relish speaking; they will experience the outcomes of their words.
     
     

4. “Will eat its fruit”

   • Fruit (peri) means the outcome or harvest. Words are seeds that will grow into realities. We cannot escape the harvest of what we sow with our tongues.

   • Luke 6:45 confirms: “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Meaning in a sentence

Your words carry real authority. Use them often enough, and you will taste the harvest they create—either life-giving or life-draining.

💡 Interpretation:

Words are powerful seeds with lasting consequences. They reveal the heart, shape relationships, influence futures, and determine outcomes. As Charles Bridges said: “The tongue may be Satan’s forge or God’s harvest field.” Our choice is whether our words create ruin or bear righteous fruit.

Literary context (Proverbs 18)

This chapter circles speech: listening before answering (18:13), gossip’s damage (18:8), quarrels, and testimony (18:17). Verse 21 is the climax—words don’t just comment on life; they shape it.

Theologically

Scripture consistently links words and destiny—not as magic but as moral causation under God’s order (cf. Prov 12:18; 15:4; 13:3; Matt 12:36–37; Eph 4:29; James 3). Words can bless, heal, guide, or they can deceive, divide, and destroy.  (Please read the scripture references.)

How this lands today

• Direction: Words steer choices (“steering wheel”).

• Climate: Words set the relational atmosphere (“thermostat”).

• Seeds: Words plant outcomes you’ll later “eat” (“fruit”).

• Surgery: Words can cut or cure (“scalpel”).

Common misreadings to avoid

• Not “name-it/claim-it.” This isn’t carte blanche to speak anything into existence; it’s wisdom about consequences of speech within God’s providence.

• Not silence-only. The answer isn’t never speaking; it’s truthful, gracious, timely speech.

Four quick images to remember it:

• Seeds: Words plant futures.

• Steering wheel: Words set direction.

• Thermostat: Words set the climate.

• Scalpel: Words can heal or harm.

One-sentence summary

What you keep saying shapes the world you end up living in.

COMMENTS:

• GO Light 🌟
  You don’t have to do anything extra. On Tuesday, simply post whether you:
  1️⃣ Read Proverbs chapters 1–9
  2️⃣ Read this devotional each day

  That’s it—short and simple! ✅

• GO Deep: In the comments on Sunday, share your answer to one of the following questions:
  
  
• “If words are seeds, what kind of harvest are your words planting right now—life-giving or life-draining?”
  
  
• “Which of the four images (seeds, steering wheel, thermostat, scalpel) best describes how you’ve seen words shape your relationships this week?”
  
  
• “What fruit from past words are you ‘eating’ today—and how does Proverbs 18:21 challenge you to plant differently?”
  
  
• “Where do you sense God nudging you to use your words as a tool for healing rather than harm?”

🌅 Closing Thought

• That’s it for today. Take time to quietly meditate on what you’ve read and let it sink deep into your spirit. Come back on this page tomorrow, God willing, as we continue the journey together.

SATURDAY

P → Practice 

Complete the Practice (P) segment today, Saturday 6.

🗣 Words-in-Action Toolkit

• 1. Pause → Pray → Proceed
  Before a hard conversation, stop and breathe a short prayer. Invite God to guard your tongue and guide your tone.

  2. THINK Filter
  Run your words through this filter:

  • T – Is it True?

  • H – Is it Helpful?

  • I – Is it Inspiring?

  • N – Is it Necessary?

  • K – Is it Kind?

  3. The 3:1 Rule
  Aim to offer three encouragements for every correction you give. This builds up instead of breaking down.

  4. Swap Scripts
  Replace blaming phrases like, “You always…” with constructive words:
  👉 “When ___ happens, I feel ___; could we ___?”

  5. Bless Aloud
  

  Speak one life-giving sentence over someone—by name. Let them hear words that strengthen and refresh.

• 🟡 Sanguine (Talker)

• 🌿 Challenge
  From today, pause before you speak. Choose one moment each day to intentionally replace exaggeration with a word of true encouragement.

  I Statement
  💬 I will pause before I speak and choose words of encouragement over exaggeration.
  👉 Carry this declaration with you throughout the week — and always.

  One-Line Prayer
  Lord, set a guard over my mouth and fill my tongue with life, that my words may build up and give grace (Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 4:29). Amen.

🔴 Choleric (Leader) 

🌿 Challenge
From today, when tempted to speak sharply, pause and reframe your words with gentleness. At the end of the day, ask yourself: Did my words build up or tear down?

I Statement
💬 I will use my words to build up, not break down, and speak with love even when firm.
👉 Carry this declaration with you throughout the week — and always.

One-Line Prayer
Lord, set a guard over my mouth and fill my tongue with life, that my words may build up and give grace (Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 4:29). Amen.

🔵 Melancholic (Thinker)

🌿 Challenge
From today, replace one criticism a day with a word of affirmation. Train your eyes to notice the good, and let your tongue highlight it.

I Statement
💬 I will replace criticism with compassion and choose to affirm the good I see.
👉 Carry this declaration with you throughout the week — and always.

One-Line Prayer
Lord, set a guard over my mouth and fill my tongue with life, that my words may build up and give grace (Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 4:29). Amen.

🟢 Phlegmatic (Peacemaker)

🌿 Challenge
From today, choose to speak up where you’d normally remain silent. Pray for courage, then let truth flow from your lips with gentleness.

I Statement
💬 I will speak truth with gentleness instead of hiding in silence.
👉 Carry this declaration with you throughout the week — and beyond.

One-Line Prayer
Lord, set a guard over my mouth and fill my tongue with life, that my words may build up and give grace (Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 4:29). Amen.

✨ Reflection & Journaling Prompts

1. Life or Death?
   Where did my words breathe life and encouragement this week? Where did they, even subtly, drift toward criticism, gossip, or discouragement?

2. Harvest of Words
   What “fruit” am I tasting today that was planted by the words I spoke weeks, months, or even years ago? Is it sweet and nourishing—or bitter and heavy?

3. A Tongue Assignment
   If my tongue were given one mission today, what phrase would I choose as its guiding assignment? (e.g., “Build up, don’t tear down” • “Grace will be on my lips” • “Speak truth in love”)

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SATURDAY

T → Thanksgiving💬

Complete the Thanksgiving (T) segment today, Saturday 6. 

Everyone 🙌
Whether your participation level is GO Light or GO Deep, take a moment to thank God for what you have learned about the Power of Words—especially in light of your primary and secondary temperaments. 💬✨

Let this prayer of gratitude seal the truths He’s been teaching you. 🌿

• 🟡 For the Sanguine:
  Lord, thank You for the joy and energy You’ve given the Sanguine. Bridle the tongue that speaks too quickly. Fill it with words of encouragement and joy that bring life. Amen.

• 🔴 For the Choleric:
  Lord, thank You for the drive and courage You’ve given the Choleric. Soften sharp words, and teach this strong tongue to lead with truth wrapped in love and humility. Amen.

• 🔵 For the Melancholic:
  Lord, thank You for the depth and insight You’ve placed in the Melancholic. Turn criticism into compassion, and may words of wisdom heal, comfort, and build up. Amen.

• 🟢 For the Phlegmatic:
  Lord, thank You for the calm and steadiness in the Phlegmatic. Stir courage where there is silence, and let gentle words of peace and truth flow with boldness. Amen.

We seal this in Jesus’ name, with thanksgiving for His Spirit who transforms our words. Amen.

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SUNDAY

S → Share

Today is the Share (S) segment.   Sunday 7 

COMMENTS:

GO Light 🌟

Participants, post in the comments below:

• "I read Proverbs 1–7" if you did.

• "I read the above devotional every day" if you did.

• “Where would you like us to pray for you this week on your transformation journey?”

COMMENTS:

GO Deep 💎

Participants, post in the comments below:

• Your answers for the R – Read, O – Observe, and M – Meaning segments.

• "I read Proverbs 1–7" if you did.

• “Where would you like us to pray for you this week on your transformation journey?”

Anchor Phrase: 
“My words are seeds — I will plant life.” 🌱

Encouragement:

• Carry your I statement into the week.

• Journal it somewhere you’ll see it daily (mirror, phone, notebook).

• 🌟 Mini-Challenge: Speak one intentional word of encouragement to someone this week and notice the fruit.

Interact 🤝

• GO Deep Participants → Come back on Monday and/or Tuesday to:

  • Comment on your sisters’ posts to encourage them. 💬💖

  • Come back on Tuesday and comment if you read Proverbs 8 & 9.

Interact 🔄

• GO Light 🌟 Participants — remember to come back on Monday and Tuesday and post if you read Proverbs 8 & 9.

📌 Don’t forget:

• Post Sunday.

• Keep reading one chapter of Proverbs each day (1-9)
  
  

  
  Next Blog Post:  September 10.
  
  A great rest of the week to you my sisters.  Be diligent with the Word and allow it to get into you.