Acceptable Words

"The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse."

Proverbs 10:32

The meaning of words can shift over time, but thankfully God's Word will endure forever.  In today's vernacular the word "acceptable" can by synonymous with passable, even just sliding by.  The Hebrew word translated into English is defined by the Strong's concordance as: "delight, (be) acceptable, delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure."  By this definition, "acceptable" words are in agreement with the righteous, Almighty God.  A heart made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ will be revealed with righteous speech.

The same word is used by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:10-11:  "The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright--words of truth. ¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd."  Acceptable words of the wise are described as "upright" and "words of truth."  God is the sole source of righteousness and truth.  These acceptable words are compared to goads and nails, purposefully designed items to perform work.  The Word of God prompts us to move forward in directions unfamiliar to our flesh, and it is also constructive like nails which hold together building materials.

These upright words of truth are given by one Shepherd, none other than Jesus Christ.  David identified God as his shepherd in Psalm 23, and Jesus said in John 10:11-15:  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.¹² But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He laid down His life so we could be saved and redeemed.  Jesus always spoke acceptable words, and as His followers we can and ought to do the same!