A Fountain of Life

Proverbs 10:11a~"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,"

Proverbs 10:21a~"The lips of the righteous feed many,"

When you open your mouth to speak, what comes out? Is it a fountain of refreshing water that nourishes and gives life to your hearers, or does it dry them out and leave them feeling parched? Is it a banquet of tasteful and sustaining food that leaves your hearers full and satisfied, or does it leave them hungry and starving for a good meal?

I desire for my mouth to feed many, and be a fountain of life to those around me, especially my wife, children, family and friends. There are three things that are helpful to know this morning as we ponder what a mouth looks like that is a fountain of life.
1. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life (Proverbs 13:14).
2. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27).
3. Good sense or understanding is a fountain of life (Proverbs 16:22).

In order for my mouth and yours to be refreshing food and drink to the people around us we must overflow these three things, teaching that is wise, the fear of the Lord, and understanding, or good sense. John Piper says that "the fear of the Lord" is a fear that is afraid to leave God to find joy and happiness in another place, or in another object. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom says Proverbs chapter 1. So I can not have any true wisdom on my own. God's wisdom will flow to me as I am close to Him. I must be filled full of God's wisdom in order for it to flow out of my mouth. Luke 6:45 tells us that "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." So what my heart is full of, will come out when I speak.

For my mouth and yours to be a fountain of life to those around us, we must be filled to the brim with the wisdom and understanding that flows to us as we stay close to God. Then this understanding, and wisdom will spill out of our mouths to those around us. Thus becoming a fountain that feeds many.