A Word Fitly Spoken
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11
“Fitly.” Outside of the Bible, we don’t see or hear this word very much.
Dictionary.com defines fitly as: “in a proper or suitable manner.”
The New American Standard Version may help us understand this verse:
“Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances.”
Oh, so this means that saying the right thing, at the right time is a good thing!
Got it.
Let’s travel back to the days of King Asa. He was the great-great-grandson of King David.
In II Chronicles 14, an army of a million soldiers came up against Judah. Asa cried out to God, and He defeated an army that was much larger than Judah’s!
Right after that great victory, a prophet named Azariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke to the king.
“And he went out to meet Asa and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”
II Chronicles 15:2
He then gives King Asa a reminder from history, and finishes up by saying:
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
II Chronicles 15:7
Hearing these words, the king took courage and set out to remove the idols, which led to a Spiritual revival.
Isn’t it interesting that God led Azariah to say these words right after a great victory?
When things are going well, we tend to let our guard down and get lazy.
God knew there was a lot of work for King Asa to do.
He used a little-known person named Azariah to provide a word “fitly” spoken.
Let’s ask God to use our words in the same manner- to give us the wisdom to say the right things. Maybe together, our words will become like a bushel of “apples of gold.”
