The value of Words

Today I’d like to take a look at Proverbs 25:11.

Context

King Solomon who enjoyed great wealth was familiar with gold and silver.  Shields, utensils, and articles in his palace were made of pure gold.  It demonstrated the tremendous wealth of blessing of God upon kingdom.  So, it is only natural for Solomon to use an illustration that he is familiar with.

Application

But for us today, having article of pure gold and silver is unthinkable and far removed from our culture.  Can you image an apple of pure gold and how much it would be worth?  A little research on google tells us that an apple would be around 3 cubic inches of material.  3 cubic inches of gold equal 2.09 pounds.  One pound of gold is $21,874.99. So, one pure golden apple would be around $45,718.72.  But Solomon uses the plural, meaning more than one golden apple and in a bowl of pure silver.  

The point is that a bowl of golden apples would be very valuable.  But Solomon recognizes that our words spoken at just the right moment are just as valuable. It might be a word of encouragement to someone who is discouraged.  It could be sharing the gospel message to someone who is lost.  It could even be a word of rebuke in the right situation.  

I remember years ago being in a church business meeting where there was some disagreements and I remember how the tension instantly filled the room.  But a new member who happened to be there that night simply spoke a word of encouragement and I watched as the tension left just as quickly as it came.

Conclusion

Let us be people who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and understand the power of a timely word in the right circumstance.