The LORD's Day, March 30, 2008

A Rare Jewel

Proverbs 20.15

Lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

I love that line from a song by Michael Card:

You and me we use so very many clumsy words.
The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard.
When the Father’s Wisdom wanted to communicate His love,
He spoke it in one final perfect Word.

One of the countless things that amaze me about Jesus is His ability to say something significant with very few words. We saw that during our study of God’s Word during Holy Week.


Knowledge means a number of things...

1. Perception

Before we speak we need to perceive what a situation is. Speaking with knowledge means knowing our subject matter. It means knowing the person or persons situation. If we lack perception we will speak foolishly. There is plenty of hot air around these days. We don’t need anymore!

This perception is the ability to see more than just the surface and obvious although it includes that. Some people have trouble seeing the obvious.

Very religious people can have know perception.

Isaiah 43.19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Most of the moves of God have not been perceived by the organized institutional church.

Luke 19.41 As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

Perception is seeing things for what they truly are. Perception is insight. It sees the roots and the future of things as well as the current situation of them.

Knowledge also means...
2. Skill

There is an art to speaking. A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.- Proverbs 25.11 Rich and beautiful and rare.

Some it comes easier to.

Proverbs 15.23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! Timing in speaking is very important. I never know of right time to say, “I told you so.” When a person is frustrated it is better to do something for them than to say something to them. When a person is upset silent prayer is best.

When we do speak, to speak with knowledge is a skill. Weigh your words- think about how they will be taken. Seek to eliminate clumsy words and noise from your lips. Let knowledge come out. It is a rarity.

It is developed. Few reach that point where their lips are speaking knowledge.

We learn by our mistakes. They should be decreasing in the areas where we are learning.

We hide God’s Word in our so that we will not sin.

We should be growing in this area with increasing ability.

3. Discernment

Religious people can very undiscerning!

Matthew 16.1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.

The religious leaders in Jesus’ time on earth did not know the signs of the times. He warned His early followers not to be asleep when He comes again. He urged them to be on their guard. The horrible indifference to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is appalling today. He is coming! He is coming soon. Don’t be one of those who do cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Speaking with this ability to discern is a gift of the Spirit. It is the ability to see clearly and talk straight about things. We all need the LORD to help us more in this area.

Knowledge also means...
4. Understanding

Lips that speak with understanding. How often as we shared a few weeks ago that when it comes to comforting someone who is grieving we would be better many times by being there and saying very little.

When we find people in situations we don’t understand words of encouragement are much more fitting than words of instruction. Many times words of instruction when we don’t have first hand experience or a full understanding of what a person is going through are incorrect and there for would be better left unsaid! Never say to a depressed person, “Come on snap out of it! Get up and get going” That is what they want to do many times but are not able to. Of course if you have gone through it and have a first hand knowledge of depression you would never say that to someone who is struggling with it. You understand- just as someone who has gone through divorce, a miscarriage, someone who has been abused...

5. Wisdom

Lips that speak wisdom are a rare jewel indeed. Remember in the early chapters of Proverbs as Solomon was describing wisdom to his son that he spoke of it as being precious and costly?

Proverbs 3.13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

8.10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

You will not find wisdom on a lot of people’s lips, on the contrary many speak foolishly. I Timothy 1.7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.


We can make decisions to be wise in the eyes of God. It is not complicated. This is open to all God’s children. It is in keeping a steady diet of the Proverbs coming in to our hearts!

Rare it is. The proof is what is on the lips. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Let’s be part of that small company !