for he will despise the good sense of your words.
This chapter is full of warnings to be careful, to watch out: Be careful how you act in the presence of leaders (verses 1-3), about the pursuit of wealth (4,5), about selfish people(6-9), about respecting boundaries (10-12), about being envious, about caring for parents (22-25), about temptation (26-28), and finally, about all the pitfalls of alcohol. In all of these warnings, it might at first sound as we need to run from the world and hide, and that in our verse above, the best thing is to say nothing. But these words are hyperbole. They did not mean to avoid everyone and every situation, but to be careful in every situation. Here, we need to be very careful about confidences - about what we say and to whom we say it. Nothing will destroy people's trust more or faster than unkept confidences.
Questions: Do people freely share with me very confidential matters? If not, why not? Who is on your "short list" of those with whom you do share? Do I, or should I ask permission to share things with someone else, even my spouse? Do I want to be treated the same way I treat others when it comes to these things?
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