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Proverbs 25:15

Proverbs 25:15

layers Part 74 of 82 menu_book More on Proverbs lightbulb 1 illustration in this sermon

Pastor Martin expounds Proverbs 25:15, using the vivid imagery of a 'soft tongue breaking the bone' to illustrate the power of gentle persuasion over stubbornness. He argues that confronting entrenched opinions or resistance with harsh, angry words is ineffective. Instead, a soft, tender approach, like the tissue of the tongue, can overcome even the most rigid opposition. Martin applies this principle to parenting, urging parents to teach their children this wisdom by modeling it in their own interactions, particularly in marriage, demonstrating how patience and gentleness can break the 'bone of resistance' in others.

Primary Texts

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Proverbs 25:15 This verse is the sole focus of the sermon, with Martin dissecting its imagery and applying its wisdom.

Outline 4 sections · 2 min

  1. The Grotesque Imagery of Proverbs 25:15 0:00
  2. The Power of a Soft Tongue 0:54
  3. Children Learning Gentle Persuasion 1:21
  4. Wisdom in Breaking Resistance 1:53

Key Quotes

“a soft tongue breaks the bone. Here you got a big old shin bone, you want to make you up some good stock, with the marrow of the shin bone of an old cow that went to the slaughterhouse.”
“You can't break bone with tongue. Solomon says, yes you can.”
“Not by coming at him with the battle axe of your angry, sarcastic, irritated words. You come with words as soft and gentle and tender as the tissue of your tongue, and you break the bone.”
“But God calls wise the person who learns to break the bone of a person's stubborn opinions, of a person's unwillingness to face a given issue.”

Applications

All listeners

  • Do not try to break a stubborn person with angry, sarcastic, or irritated words; instead, use soft, gentle, and tender words.
  • Children must learn the principle of a soft tongue breaking the bone by observing their parents apply it, especially in resolving stubbornness in their mates.
  • Instruct children in the great truth that a soft tongue breaks the bone.

A full transcript is available on the tab. 9 paragraphs, roughly 2 minutes.

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