Under Gods Command
Proverbs 12:14 – From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands reward him.
There are great rewards for good speech and actions. Will you miss them in life? Will others win them, leaving you behind? The proverb’s lesson is simple, but most forget the certain rewards for righteousness. They are too concerned with the world’s opinions of success or approval of their peers. They forget God and men will compensate the godly.
Speaking right and doing right bring rewards. The world may not exalt or reward virtue, but this true proverb gives wonderful advice. If you use your mouth for kind, spiritual, and wise words, God and men will reward you with satisfying honors. And both God and men will also surely compensate you for good works of charity, godliness, and truth.
The only speech that brings good and satisfying rewards is pure and wise speech, which the proverb implies. If you use your mouth for folly, lies, or boasting, it will bring trouble (Pr 10:6,14,31; 12:18; 13:3; 18:6-7,21; 20:17). The same is true of actions – things done with your hands. Only noble deeds bring good rewards (Pr 6:17; 10:4; 26:6; Is 3:10-11).
Good speech blesses others (Pr 24:26). But the reward here is to the speaker (Pr 13:2; 15:23; 18:20). Kings will befriend a man with gracious speech (Pr 22:11). How could Pharaoh resist promoting Joseph (Gen 41:39-45)? Jonathan resist loving David (I Sam 18:1-4)? Nebuchadnezzar resist promoting Daniel (Dan 2:46-49)? What will the King of kings do for those who speak to others about Him (Mal 3:16-18)? Read it, and rejoice!
Good deeds are the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, righteousness, and truth (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:9). The good works of God’s elect are the result of God’s powerful workmanship in them by regeneration (Eph 2:10). What God works in, they are to work out (Phil 2:12-13).
Bad deeds are signs of carnal Christians – self-love, coveting, boasting, pride, blasphemy, disobedience to parents, unthankful, unholy, perverted love, trucebreakers, false accusers, unruly, fierce, despisers of good people, traitors, heady, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than God, and merely a hypocritical form of religion (II Tim 3:1-5). They lose!
Good words and works are not the mere ceremony or ritual of church attendance or activities. Isaiah 58 provides a wonderful distinction between outward religious compliance and true godliness affecting your relationships with others. And the rewards listed in this passage cover an incredible range of blessings far beyond this commentary.
The Bible is God’s manual for successful living, and living His way will save you from the dysfunctional problems of this wicked world and bring prosperity and success (Josh 1:6-9; Ps 1:1-3; 19:7-11; Jas 1:25). But there are also the rewards described above. Glory!
Your goal is to be like Jesus Christ. He grew in favour with God and men (Luke 2:52). His speech was gracious beyond belief (Ps 45:2; Luke 4:22). He went about doing good (Acts 10:38). He is the example Paul followed, and we should follow Paul (I Cor 11:1).
But did He not die young, you ask? He voluntarily laid down His life, forgiving the soldiers, in the ultimate act and words for His elect. What was His reward? Promoted to the pinnacle of the universe to reign forever (Phil 2:5-11; Eph 1:19-23; Heb 12:1-3)!
Under Gods command 