August 20

Aug 20 - Today from Proverbs 20 we look at verse 15
"Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel."

When I traveled with the mission organization with which I served, I was introduced to various and unique characteristics of other cultures. I discovered that in many respects, we in the USA are the 'different' culture. Our status, values and life-styles have altered our cultural norms from much of the rest of the world. One such way is the emphasis on community.
In most of the cities and towns that I visited in West Europe, East Europe, Eurasia, and even in Africa, I encountered a rather wonderful common event. The shops and businesses would all close down in the early evening (save for a few pubs and night clubs). Soon after, the city Centrum would slowly begin to fill with people. They congregated in groups on the side walks, in the parking lots, and in the parks. The groups would gradually get larger. Children and teens formed their own groups. Some people stayed with a group, others wandered from group to group. Street entertainers would come out to sing, to juggle, to perform some sort of slight of hand, or to do whatever specialty they had developed. It's a community get-together, and it happened every night that the weather permitted. It's a part of culture that most of America has lost. It was (and is), a very common cultural trait in the Mid East where the Teacher of this proverb lived.
In a highly social community where there is no TV or radio or newspapers, such social intercourse is a very important aspect of life. People gather to talk about everything, and seek to find out as much as they can about the latest current events. When and where this proverb was written, by far the greatest form of information and communication took place by talking with and listening to dozens of people each day. How many people do you speak with on an average day? How many people do you listen to? If you haven't included all of the people you watch on TV, or listen to on radio, or read their words in newspaper articles, you haven't covered all the people you 'listen' to. Now where are you at? When you include all of those people, you are probably up to the same number as the people to whom this proverb was written. The only difference is that you have lost the social aspect of communication.
When the Teacher of the proverb speaks of knowledge, he is not speaking of 'common knowledge', like what color car Tom Smith drives, how much Mary Jones paid for her new dress, etc. He is referring to the knowledge of God. Not knowledge about God, but the knowledge of God. If you had the knowledge of Albert Einstein, you would understand the laws of energy. If you had the knowledge of God, you would understand the purpose of life and the values of moral law. Lips that speak knowledge are those which frame ideas and communication with the knowledge of God.
Now, think again of all the people you listen to in a day, including TV, radio and reading materials. How many of those people frame their communication with the knowledge of God? I think you will agree, such lips are rare lips indeed. In light of this fact, how much of the 'input' your soul receives each day do you think is beneficial? How much of it do you think is actually harmful? What can you do about it?
There is common knowledge that is important for us in order to function from day to day. There is knowledge that we should never expose ourselves to (pornography, lewd humor, gossip, prejudiced hate-talk, disrespectful discourse, etc.). Then there is the knowledge of God. We need to refresh ourselves in it daily. Personal devotions are critical to the soul. Good Bible studies are extremely beneficial. Weekly worship with other believers where the Word of God is delivered and received in the Holy Spirit is imperative. Communication with God, speaking to Him and listening for Him, is life. The more we pay attention to lips that speak knowledge and the less attention we pay to lips that speak foolishness, lewdness and outright rebellion - the more we will mature in Christ, and the more our own lips will become like rare jewels. When this happens, those around us will begin to benefit from the knowledge of God. There is simply far too little in our culture.