Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Summary: It turns out that people communicate with their eyes almost as much as they do with their mouths.
The mouth is a portal that accepts food and drink into the body, and expels sounds and words. The eyes, at first “glance,” seem to be a one-way opening in the body, letting light in but nothing out. But are they only “one way?”
In thinking about eyes, I have come to realize that they are every bit as expressive as the mouth. The eyes have a language all their own. They convey feelings and emotions. The eyes reflect what is in the heart, even when the mouth is silent.
If both eyes and mouth have a kind of speech, their speech is very different.
The speech of the mouth can be whispered or shouted. Yet, in either case, it can be overheard. Sound is not confined to a specific ear. Words, once spoken, become like little birds that fly in all directions. They fly through walls, under doors, over cubical dividers, and out of windows. The spoken word can travel around corners or through wires and radio waves. In this respect, the spoken word is unique.
In the language of eyes, a message is conveyed eye-to-eye. One person glances at another and in that instant, when eyes meet, there is communication.
The range of communication, eye-to-eye, is immense. It includes love, hate, and fear. Disappointment, approval, and encouragement can all be communicated in a glance. Then there is the wink.
The “wink” is an emphasis unique to the eye. It signals something to the person or people watching. What the message is depends on the discernment of the audience. A wink can be innocent, bringing delight to the recipient. The wink can also be malicious.
The word “chattering” appears only twice in the Bible. Once in Proverbs 10 verse 8, and again in verse 10. Verses 8, 9, and 10 talks about the wise accepting commands and walking in integrity. The wicked are chattering fools who take crooked paths. It is only the wicked who ‘wink maliciously.’ Where the mouth of the wicked conceals violence, the malicious wing reveals a threat.
Application: Remember that even when your mouth is silent, your eyes are talking.
Food for Thought: If the eyes can “chatter” how could they bring a fool to ruin?
Seems like the wicked can’t hold their maliciousness in, they have no self control over their chatter.
True, T!
We reveal ourselves in many ways. Some work very hard to disguise their inner being. Others are transparent. Transparent is better. 🙂
If the eyes can “chatter” how could they bring a fool to ruin?
In Matthew 7:7 Jesus said “seek and you will find” and “the one who seeks finds.” The chattering eyes of a fool are always looking for instant gratification. I believe that this type of lifestyle bring ruin rather quickly.
Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Proverbs 21:4 “Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.”
Luke 11:34 “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.”
Isaiah 5:21 “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”
Chris,
Interesting idea! “Chattering eyes” could mean eyes that are not steady, but are ‘chattering’ from one thing to another constantly, looking for the ‘instant gratification’ you mention. Thank you!
People can wink to be deceptive, flirtatious, insult, etc. Just as words in the mouth of a wicked person can destroy, so non verbals on the face of the wicked person can cause destruction.
It seems like it is easy to be destructive in anything a person does. I guess narrow is the path of righteousness.
That’s because anything can be warped or distorted from it’s purpose. God made things good and to work in a way that is good. When we veer off of His design things get bad or destructive. And when we sinned, we set our default to ‘not His design’.
Well said, Tim!
Rich,
Amen! It is interesting how something so seemingly insignificant and fleeting can carry such a powerful message.
Is it possible that the thoughts of our heart are revealed in our eyes even before we act?
Anon,
Yes. Not only is it possible, I think it is probable!