The Stream of Knowledge

Proverb 14: 6

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Again, this week, I find it challenging to choose only one verse from this powerhouse of a proverb. I hope you are utilizing the link at the bottom to read the entire proverb each Monday.

Today’s verse is taken, as usual, from the New American Standard Bible, my Bible of preference. However, I read many versions because sometimes the editors’ use of one different word opens up more understanding for me. Therefore, I wish to share The Passion Translation’s rendering of this verse today, “The intellectually arrogant seek for wisdom, but they never seem to discover what they claim they’re looking for. For revelation-knowledge flows to the one who hungers for understanding.”

I believe this rendition reveals much about knowledge and wisdom. First, we are enlightened as to its source. This passage shows that knowledge is “revealed.” What does that mean? It means that our God, who is the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom, passes that knowledge to us. He is the source. Second, He gives this wisdom and knowledge to those who hunger and thirst for it. Moreover, He gives it to those who seek Him for it rather than those who study and try to succeed in their own strength. Of course, when we are intellectually arrogant, we seek knowledge through our efforts and when we do, we do not seek God. That would require humility. No, instead we study and labor rather than simply humbling ourselves before our God in entreaty.

Third, wisdom and knowledge come to us as a flow. Isn’t that interesting? God downloads His knowledge to us like a stream flowing smoothly across the landscape. This isn’t a painful or labor-intensive method. Flow is found in relaxation. Picture yourself lying beside a quiet little stream and see how peaceful it makes you feel. While you lie there, the stream just bubbles along, seemingly without any energy compelling it. As you relax and breathe, you open your own channels so that the flow may enter you. It is not by striving, therefore, but rather by relaxing in the comfort of the Father that wisdom and knowledge are gained.

Yet, of all the things I ask of you, perhaps this is one of the most difficult, to relax in the presences of God. Stop everything else you are doing. Do not answer the phone or that incoming text. Just bask in the Lord’s presence in quiet, meditative peace, thinking more about your breathing than your “to do” list. If we could all do this more, we would have more answers. We would have more knowledge. Instead, we think, worry, and toil for answers. Stop for a moment. Give yourself a couple of breaths. Put your mind on Yahweh and let the answers come to you, in the name of Jesus.

Proverb 14

The Gracious Hand of the Lord

Nehemiah 2: 8

And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have all our  requests granted by the people we need favor with? My first thought upon reading this was, “Why was the hand of God on Nehemiah?” Then I remembered a passage from Ezra. In chapter 7, verses 9 & 10 we find that “the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord.” I believe we have found the secret.

One question we may pose is, is the gracious hand of the Lord a reward for the studious observance of God’s Word or is it that grace just follows those who abide in the Word of God. I believe the latter is the correct answer but in reality, what difference does it make? If we know that favor and success follow those who are studious to discover and diligent to do all that the Lord has taught then that is, I believe, enough.

Gracious in the Hebrew means to: bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow, to show favor and mercy. In other words, the graciousness of God causes Him to come down to our level in order to give us mercy and favor. The favor from God causes all people to see us in a pleasing light such that our petitions are granted. It seems like a very good deal that we have received. If we will devote ourselves to the study and observance of God’s teachings, then we shall have favor and good success with all people.

Class Notes

John 13: 17

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

How audacious of the Lord to tell us that knowing the things of God, even the things that he taught does not render blessing unto us. Jesus says we are only blessed when we do them. That is a little frightening, isn’t it? The most knowledgeable Biblical scholar in the world can live outside the blessing if he does not apply what he knows. Jesus was giving us words to live by rather than words to study and know. The Bible really is a how to manual. It isn’t just a collection of arbitrary rules. Think of it this way – imagine that Jesus gave a three day seminar on “Living the Successful and Blessed Life.” Can you imagine the copious notes you would take if you got to attend that seminar. Well, the Bible is the product of taking everyone’s notes and compiling them into one volume. Right there in your hand you have John’s class notes. Wow!

Here is the point that Jesus is making though; attending the seminar does you no good if you don’t take the information and apply it to your everyday life. You may have the best set of notes in the class, perhaps you even go home and rewrite them and organize them on your computer. That is awesome. You are a great student but it is the application of that knowledge that will make you successful in life rather than just in your studies. You are way ahead of those who don’t take notes, i.e. don’t read the Bible but that study should only be the precursor of the more important step – doing what you glean from your studies. You must begin with the knowledge. That is what Jesus says but after that comes the practicum. Apply what you have learned. 

What does Jesus tell us to do? Remember that the entire Bible is the Word of Jesus. When he tells us to meditate on the scriptures, are we doing it? When he tells us to love one another, then that is part of the pathway to excellence in our own lives. Live Jesus’ words. Therein lies the victory.

The Contemplative Life

Proverb 20: 15        NIV

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

In reading this verse, I am struck by how out of place it is in today’s culture. First of all, who would say such a thing? Preachers, I think, might still say these sorts of things but that is probably the limit of it. I ask myself why and find many answers vying for my attention. The most pronounced, though, is that this speaks to ideals that are outside our value system. So, what is in our value system or more plainly stated, what is it that we value? That question is most easily answered by observing what we, as a culture, spend our time, energy and money on. The contemplative life does not seem to make the list and seeking out the one person who has made meditative study a priority is even of lesser importance to us.

Individually we get swept up in the tide of the culture, few of us ever stopping long enough to ask ourselves what is really important. There are images painted for us in media, advertising and literature and we integrate those images into our psyche’s and begin to hotly pursue them without ever questioning whether those things have any real value in them or if they add value to our lives. The first realization we have is that we have no time in our lives. Everyone is so busy. We have no time for the real friends so we have to have virtual friends. Our friends and family are nothing more than social media entries. We have no time them much less for quiet study, meditation and contemplation because we have three other places we need to be. But if we could be honest with ourselves for one minute we would have to accept that we are only as busy as our value system allows. We do what is important to us. If we say that we are too busy for any particular thing it is only because we have not placed a high enough value on that item. So, now when I hear someone say they are “too busy” for something in particular I understand that they are really saying that it just is not important enough for them.

I have this picture in my mind of people sitting at the feet of the sage listening intently to words of wisdom. It is a very tranquil image. It is also a fallacy. Even if we purposely slow our lives a bit then ego interferes. We have become a nation of egomaniacs. Who knows better than we? Is there anyone smarter, wiser or more informed than I? If so, do I value that person or shun them? This is not true for everyone for there are some of you who really do have humility but for many of us we ostracize one who has answers and wisdom because our self-esteems are so low that we see their wisdom as a threat. So those of you who do seek out teachers keep gaining knowledge while those of us who so desperately need guidance cannot receive wisdom because of our outsized egos.

Israel had the same problem. People didn’t listen to the prophets even though God spoke to them through the prophet. So they lacked guidance. I am sure they thought they knew it all just as we do today. We don’t need anyone to speak wisdom into our lives because we are the smartest people we know. It is all very cyclical. We think we are wise, or we allow our tiny self-esteems convince us this is so we do not pursue the teachings of those who could, in fact, help us. Secondarily, we have become so deceived by the devil as to what is important that we do not pursue God in our own time. There are few wise people because few people spend time with God. And then those few who actually have made the contemplative life a priority get shunned because they are wiser than the rest of us. Israel suffered greatly because they wouldn’t listen to the prophets but today we are even worse because we won’t even give anyone the title prophet or teacher even when they have been appointed by God to those positions. 

I wish that by writing this Word of the Day I could change the culture but if it provokes one or two people to a deeper life then it will be successful. Those of you who are thoughtful and meditative, pull on your teachers. Make a demand on them. Teachers, your followers have a right to draw on what God is teaching you and you may have to increase your study. It is your responsibility to feed the sheep and Jesus is the bread of life, so study.

If we could just take one month away from our worldly pursuits, away from seeking pleasure and direct that energy to seeking God, we would not only transform our own lives but our families and communities as well. Consider your time, your obligations and your God. Take time to think about what is really important in life. Then allocate some time to the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. Seek out teachers. Honor them and make a demand on their knowledge base. Make the pursuit of the knowledge of God a priority in your life.