Pro 8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

Proverbs 8 contains a lovely and living picture of Wisdom. Solomon pictures Vice as a loose woman going about to seduce. He pictures Wisdom as a noble lady. Lady Wisdom cries out in the public places calling on the sons of man to listen to her. The loose woman works in the dark alley but Lady Wisdom speaks in the light. Everyone wants to be known as wise; no one wants to be known as a fool. Some think themselves to be wise while they are fools; there is no hope for such persons. How can we recognise a wise person? Very simple: by his words. Solomon wrote: Pro 8:6  Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.  Pro 8:7  For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  Pro 8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.  A fool is known by his words; and so is a wise person. The words of a wise are these: 1. Speak of excellent things (v.6a). 2. Speak right things (v.6b). 3. Speak truth (v.7). 4. Speak righteousness (v.8a). 5. Speak no evil (v.8b). A fool talks too much and reveals his foolishness. Solomon says: “A fool also is full of words” (Ecclesiastes 10:14). He says: “The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness” (Ecclesiastes 10:13). As soon as ever he opens his mouth, he betrays his folly. But a wise man has few words: “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit” (Proverbs 17:27). He speaks only when necessary. Solomon says the words of a wise man is gracious (Ecclesiastes 10:12). He speaks kind and good things. Paul says concerning our words: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). Speak gracious words! What are gracious words? They are kind, gentle, sweet, pleasant, excellent, right, true, righteousness, peaceable, beneficial, edifying, etc. Solomon says: “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Gracious words are pleasant to the ears.                                                                                                                                                     The saying that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is dead wrong. Words do hurt. Words can either destroy friendship (Proverbs 11:9), or build up and give grace (Ephesians 4:29). As Christians, we are to speak unto edification. Who is a wise man? Watch his words: “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards” (Proverbs 29:11). A fool is quick to give someone a piece of his mind; a wise gives someone a piece of his heart. The Greek Philosopher Plato said: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.” There is an idiom that says: “Clothes make the man.” It means we can judge a man's character based on his clothing and appearance. I think it is more correct to say “Words make the man”. Our words tell us if we are wise or fool. Our Lord says: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). Wisdom is known by its words. Are you wise?