Solomon informs his son that worthless, wicked people can be recognized by the way that they speak. Proverbs 6:12 says, “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.” We have all said things that we wish we would not have said. James 3:8 says, “but no man can tame the tongue.” Most of us will occasionally say things we later regret; however, the worthless individual that Solomon warns his son about, continually walks with a perverse mouth. It is his way of life. His feet run toward evil. Solomon instructs his son to avoid such people. Proverbs 1:10-11,15,18 says, “My son, if sinners entice you , do not consent. If they say, ‘come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood’…My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path…But they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives.” The perverse person talks big. They think they have everything figured out, but it is obvious to the wise that, as Solomon says, “His [the perverse man’s] calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy” (Prov 6:15).

Though the ways of the perverse may appear to be fun, they only lead to destruction. Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” Proverbs 15:28 says, “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.” The wise person uses restraint with his words, but the fool says whatever he wants. The wise person considers what to say and how to say it, but the fool just blurts things out. Proverbs 29:11 “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” It is not difficult to discern between these two groups of people. They make themselves known by the way that they speak.

The opposite of the worthless, wicked man, is the valuable, righteous man. He too, is easily recognizable by his words. As we noticed earlier, the wise person is calm in his speech. He finds the right words and the right way to say his words. The wise person uses restraint. While the wicked man, who walks with the perverse mouth, is sowing discord and devising evil, the wise man is speaking pleasant words that are “…sweetness to the soul and health to the bones…” (Prov 16:24).

Good friend are hard to find. That is why Solomon spent so much time instructing his son how to find them successfully. We need to be careful about who we allow to have influence on our lives. Make sure you are using the tongue as an indicator when choosing your friends. Listen to the word of Paul, “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor 15:33). If you associate with a perverse person, you will, eventually, become perverse, and if you associate with those who are wise, you will, eventually, gain wisdom. Remember the words of Solomon, “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.”