A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
– Proverbs 25:11
Oh, I love this verse, and I love the reality it represents. I can just think about moments where people have spoken words into my life that were so needed at that moment. So appropriate for that moment. Sometimes in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. And they encouraged me in a particular way. They comforted me in a particular way. They counseled me in a particular way. And they prayed for me in a particular way that was so appropriate.
Proverbs 25:11 teaches the value of timely, Spirit-led speech.
It was like an apple of gold in a setting of silver. It was just this platter before me. A word fitly spoken. And I read this verse. I thank God for those moments, and I want to be a part of those moments in others’ lives.
Just think about the conversations I’ll have today. Oh, let’s just start praying. God, I want to speak words. Fitly spoken to others today. Lord, in my interactions with all kinds of people, please help me. Please help each of us to be sensitive to your Spirit’s leadership. Help us walk so in step with your Spirit that we are ready in any and every conversation to speak fitly spoken words. Appropriate words of encouragement, counsel, or comfort.
Proverbs 25:11 shows the spiritual impact of thoughtful words
God, we just pray that you help our words today to be like apples of gold in settings of silver for the people we interact with. Oh God, please help us not just to speak flippantly today. Or even just casually about this or that, that doesn’t really matter. God, help us to speak words of gold, treasure, and beauty that matter. God, we pray that you would help us to speak good, fitting, appropriate words into people’s lives today and every chance that you give us.
And God, we pray that as we think about opportunities to share the gospel today. God, we pray for open doors to speak the gospel. And we pray that you’d help us to speak the good news of your love in Jesus appropriately, clearly helpfully to people today. We ask for boldness to do that.
Prayer for the Sankaran Maninka People
And God, we pray this for those who are spreading the gospel around the world. God, we pray for all those who are working for the spread of the gospel to the Sankaran Maninka people of Guinea, for 122,000 of them. Lord, raise up men and women who are spreading your gospel among the Sankaran Maninka people of Guinea. For anyone who is working there right now… God, we pray that you would help them to speak your Word with compassion, clarity, boldness, love, faithfulness, and effectiveness today.
God, we pray for the spread of your Word through our mouths… Leadership of your Spirit in ways that lead to Proverbs 25:11 through us… Words fitly spoken like apples of gold in settings of silver. May it be so, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
