This was originally delivered as an exhortation at Holy Trinity Reformed Church on January 20, 2019
by Brian Phillips
In Proverbs 17:27, Solomon writes, “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” In our home, we are developing the habit of reading one chapter of Proverbs each morning and then praying together as a family around the breakfast table. Just a few days ago, on a particularly hectic morning, we came to this verse in Proverbs 17.
After waking up late, suddenly remembering several things I needed to do that day, getting peanut butter on my shirt, and losing patience with both the kids and my coffee maker, I sat down to read “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”
Sometimes the Bible is inspiring, encouraging, and uplifting. Other times, it is a swift kick to the face. We need both. And while I think this particular verse deserve contemplation on its own, I want us to take a moment to remember something more general: we need the Bible. May God forgive our neglect of His Word and give us grace to walk in obedience to it.