by Bruce Billington

Weekly Devotional 14th of August, 2026

God In this session, we will continue examining Proverbs Chapter 13. This chapter presents a recurring contrast between the upright and the wicked. 

Proverbs 13:3-4 – “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.”

Verse 3 says those who are wise guard their lips. They do not let inflammatory words escape their mouths. Neither do they allow themselves to be provoked into any form of retaliatory behaviour in response to the words with which violent people may attack them. They shut their mouths and walk away, thereby preserving their lives. 

Despite the temptation, they do not have to win the argument, nor do they need to have the last word. Only the foolish engage in this way. They take the bait and allow their emotions to take over. Angry words fly from their mouths, and they pay a painful price for their lack of self-control. The terrifying wrath of a violent person can destroy them.

“Bite (or hold) your tongue” and “Walk away” are two of the most helpful pieces of advice we can receive. A guard upon the lips is a guard for the soul. Once rash words are spoken, we cannot take them back. We may ask for and receive forgiveness, but it is almost impossible for the person on the receiving end to forget the hurtful, biting words directed at them. The relationship will likely never be the same. Given this, we should pray for strength in adversity and for the wisdom to know when to speak and when to be quiet.

If we can control this small but powerful member, we can control the rest of our body. We have not mastered self-control if we do not control what we say. Words can cut and destroy. James recognised this truth when he wrote, “The tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness” (James 3:6). If we want to be self-controlled, it should begin with our tongue. 

The question we should ask in any argument with a spouse, friend or associate is not who is right or wrong, but what Jesus is saying here. If that can be discerned, we can all embrace it. Such discussions, in seeking this response, are more fruitful than debate, which always has a winner and a loser. 

Verse 4 reveals the misery and shame of the slothful. They want the same things the diligent receive, yet they hate the effort the diligent make. They covet everything that is to be coveted, yet will do nothing that is to be done to gain it. As a result, they have nothing, because the Scriptures say that he who will not work should not be allowed to eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). 

The righteous are people of integrity, and, as such, they have a solid work ethic. The lazy are just the opposite. Their work ethic is poor, and they are unreliable. The happiness and honour of the diligent is that their soul shall be made fat; they shall have abundance and the comfortable enjoyment of it. They appreciate it even more when it comes from the fruit of their labours.

Success is achieved through hard work, not laziness. Lazy people have few desires fulfilled and achieve very little in life. It is the diligent, the hard workers, who set the goals, make the plans, and put in the effort needed to satisfy their desires. Scripture says the diligent will prosper and even have more than they need.

All these things take effort, but the rewards that come back to the diligent are worth every bit of it and a whole lot more.