OT Promise 364: Satisfied and Full

Proverbs 18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

Proverbs has much to say about the mouth, lips, and tongue. In other words, how and what a person says is a condition for many good promises. Here the promise is that the person who speaks wisely, kindly, and well will be satisfied and well. The Word is full of warnings and promises regarding the words we speak, the tone of voice, and the accompanying facial expressions. This “fruit of the mouth” will have a pleasant effect on both the hearer and the speaker, such that everyone will feel like they’ve just finished a good meal.

We cannot always be consciously aware and intentional about what we say and how we say it. Our good speech must come naturally out of a good heart. It is better, and easier, to work on the heart instead of the mouth. “Acting” does come off in a genuine and heartfelt way. Fill the heart with the Gospel of Christ, the Word of God, and all the good things of God (like His love, joy, peace, grace, mercy, kindness, and abundant life), and then the fruit will come genuinely out of the mouth. Live your life with the Spirit occupying your heart and your daily conversations. Then the promise of satisfaction and fullness will be fulfilled.

When we “set our minds on the things above,” and “look at the things that are not seen,” then we will find ourselves speaking words of blessing. This fills and produces true satisfaction for all.