40 Days of Words | Day 7
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of Words
Day 7 | TREE OF LIFE | Proverbs 15:4
40 Days of Words
Day 7 | TREE OF LIFE | Proverbs 15:4
TREE OF LIFE
Proverbs 15:4
“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” (NIV)
I enjoy trees. When I was growing up, we had several huge eucalyptus trees in our back yard. They were WAY taller than our house and I enjoyed watching them and listening to their rustle when it was windy. I enjoyed their fragrance and watching the birds nest in the branches way above the ground.
The Scripture uses many such everyday analogies which – although the Bible was written thousands of years ago – enable us to relate today.
Here, we are taught that our tongue CAN be like “tree of life” to others. And a “tree of life” is a metaphor referring to physical and spiritual renewal and refreshment.
Another translation says this verse like this:
“When you speak healing words, you offer others fruit from the tree of life. But unhealthy, negative words do nothing but crush their hopes.” (TPT)
So how would the people closest to you, rate your words? Encouraging? Neutral? Negative?
For instance, I just had coffee with a brother in Christ. We ended our time by talking about the 23rd Psalm. As a pastor, I’ve had the privilege of quoting that psalm to countless people who were going through difficulties. Some were at home and discouraged, some in the hospital… perhaps in the ER, perhaps readying for surgery. Some of the folks were dying. In EACH case, that psalm brought peace and some comfort.
On the other hand, if I had chosen – instead of quoting the 23rd Psalm – to read the front page of the daily newspaper, how much peace and comfort would THAT have brought?
You get it. Healing words are like a “tree of life.” Unhealthy words “do nothing but crush their hopes.”
Prayer: LORD, help to learn well the difference my words make and help me to always aim to make my words soothing, healing and uplifting. Amen.
Proverbs 15:4
“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” (NIV)
I enjoy trees. When I was growing up, we had several huge eucalyptus trees in our back yard. They were WAY taller than our house and I enjoyed watching them and listening to their rustle when it was windy. I enjoyed their fragrance and watching the birds nest in the branches way above the ground.
The Scripture uses many such everyday analogies which – although the Bible was written thousands of years ago – enable us to relate today.
Here, we are taught that our tongue CAN be like “tree of life” to others. And a “tree of life” is a metaphor referring to physical and spiritual renewal and refreshment.
Another translation says this verse like this:
“When you speak healing words, you offer others fruit from the tree of life. But unhealthy, negative words do nothing but crush their hopes.” (TPT)
So how would the people closest to you, rate your words? Encouraging? Neutral? Negative?
For instance, I just had coffee with a brother in Christ. We ended our time by talking about the 23rd Psalm. As a pastor, I’ve had the privilege of quoting that psalm to countless people who were going through difficulties. Some were at home and discouraged, some in the hospital… perhaps in the ER, perhaps readying for surgery. Some of the folks were dying. In EACH case, that psalm brought peace and some comfort.
On the other hand, if I had chosen – instead of quoting the 23rd Psalm – to read the front page of the daily newspaper, how much peace and comfort would THAT have brought?
You get it. Healing words are like a “tree of life.” Unhealthy words “do nothing but crush their hopes.”
Prayer: LORD, help to learn well the difference my words make and help me to always aim to make my words soothing, healing and uplifting. Amen.
Recent
Categories
Archive
2026
February
40 Days with Jesus - 0140 Days with Jesus - 0240 Days with Jesus - 0340 Days with Jesus - 0440 Days with Jesus - 0540 Days with Jesus - 0640 Days with Jesus - 0740 Days with Jesus - 0840 Days with Jesus - 0940 Days with Jesus - 1040 Days with Jesus - 1140 Days with Jesus - 1240 Days with Jesus - 1340 Days with Jesus - 1440 Days with Jesus - 1540 Days with Jesus - 1640 Days with Jesus - 1740 Days with Jesus - 1840 Days with Jesus - 1940 Days with Jesus - 20
2025
January
40 DAYS OF NEW - 0340 DAYS OF NEW - 0440 DAYS OF NEW - 0540 DAYS OF NEW - 0640 DAYS OF NEW - 0740 DAYS OF NEW - 0840 DAYS OF NEW - 0940 DAYS OF NEW - 1040 DAYS OF NEW - 1140 DAYS OF NEW - 1240 DAYS OF NEW - 1340 DAYS OF NEW - 1440 DAYS OF NEW - 1540 DAYS OF NEW - 1640 DAYS OF NEW - 1740 DAYS OF NEW - 1840 DAYS OF NEW - 1940 DAYS OF NEW - 2040 DAYS OF NEW - 2140 DAYS OF NEW - 2240 DAYS OF NEW - 2340 DAYS OF NEW - 2440 DAYS OF NEW - 25
February
40 DAYS OF NEW - 2640 DAYS OF NEW - 2740 DAYS OF NEW - 2840 DAYS OF NEW - 2940 DAYS OF NEW - 3040 DAYS OF NEW - 3140 DAYS OF NEW - 3240 DAYS OF NEW - 3340 DAYS OF NEW - 3440 DAYS OF NEW - 3540 DAYS OF NEW - 3640 DAYS OF NEW - 3740 DAYS OF NEW - 3840 DAYS OF NEW - 3940 DAYS OF NEW - 4040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 05
March
40 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0640 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 0940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1540 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1640 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1740 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1840 DAYS OF PROMISE - 1940 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2040 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2140 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2240 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2340 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2440 DAYS OF PROMISE - 2540 DAYS OF PROMISE - 26