Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 12:14, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
American Standard Version
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
World English Bible version
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man's hands shall be rewarded to him.
Proverbs 12:14 Meaning & Commentary
From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. Proverbs 12:14 (ESV)
We repeatedly see in the book of Proverbs that The Bible teaches us about the power of our words and the fruit of our mouth. We see this again in Proverbs 12:14. The Bible says that we will be satisfied with good from the fruit of our mouth.
In the book of James, The Bible also says that all good things come from God: James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. However, how we live our lives –especially what we say and speak- can have a massive impact on our lives.
If God desires to bless us, prosper us, and keep us in good health, but we speak death, negativity, and poverty over our lives, we can cause ourselves to receive the fruit of our negative speech. The Bible also says that the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. This seems like a straightforward principle, but not always that easy to apply to our lives.
A principle found throughout The Bible is the principle of sowing and reaping: Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Whatever we do will come back to us. This can be doing good to others, giving, helping, or even just comforting and encouraging others: Proverbs 11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. However, the principle of sowing and reaping can also work against us!
The work of our hands could be laziness at work, having a bad attitude, or simply not working diligently. If we do this, it will come back to us in some way, shape, or form. But we can choose what we put in and, therefore, what we receive back out!
Application
How can we practically apply Proverbs 12:14 to our lives?
Firstly, we should settle in our hearts and minds that God wants us to prosper: 3 John 2: Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. Once we have settled that, we can work towards living it in our lives.
There are several keys to tapping into this. However, the two keys discussed in Proverbs 12:14 are our speech and actions – “the work of our hands,” as The Bible calls it. Where we are in life may not be where we want to be, but that is a perfect time and opportunity to grow and develop these two powerful characters in our lives.
If we work a job that we do not like but desire to run our own business, we are not positioned where we want to be, but by our actions and our speech, we can pass the “test” and receive promotion from The Lord. A Biblical principle is that we are often entrusted with other people’s “goods” before we receive our own: Luke 16:12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
If we treat another person’s business, goods, or affairs with contempt just because they are not ours, we will either not receive that which The Lord has for us, or when we have received it, we will reap the negativity we have sown. So, the lesson is to be fruitful and do everything with excellence where we are now – our time will come when the works of our hands will be returned to us.
As we do this, we need to mix our actions with words of faith and life, and God will indeed cause us to prosper!
Prayer
Mighty God, thank you for Your Word today. I know that there is great power in my speech. Help me to guard my heart and speak words of life over myself and others. Help me see and recognize where the works of my hand are not pleasing to you.
I desire to glorify you and be fruitful in any and everything that I do. I pray today that you will impart to me a greater measure of faith and endurance so that I may be able to inherit all that you have for me. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
