Proverbs 5:2. that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.
Yesterday we heard Solomon tell his children to pay attention to his wisdom. Today his words will become even more intense – keep and guard. Like a soldier standing guard at his post we too must guard knowledge with our lips. But what does that mean?
The issue at hand here is our responses, especially our responses to foolishness. How do you tend to respond to foolishness and temptation? What do you literally say? Do your lips guard the wisdom of God and Christ? Or does what you say just add to the foolishness?
The one who fears God, trusts God, and walks with God will let his words promote the wisdom of God. Listen to how God describes his chosen priests here in Malachi 2:
Malachi 2:6. True instruction was in his [the priests] mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
Hopefully, you can see that Malachi’s is a prophecy of our one true High Priest, Jesus. Christ alone had no wrong found on his lips. Christ alone walked in peace and uprightness. He alone turned many away from iniquity, not just by his wise and moral teachings, but by his truth claims – I am the way, the truth, the life. As our one and only wise substitute, he has protected God’s word for all eternity.
Colossians 3:15-16. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
As Paul tells the Colossians, in Christ the “word of Christ,” the gospel, now dwells in us richly. We no longer guard the word as much as the word guards us. We don’t just protect the gospel; the gospel protects us. We let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching, proclaiming, and even singing it to one another. Why? So that the church will continue to guard the knowledge of the gospel, AND so that the knowledge of the gospel will guard the church.
In Christ, we are called and empowered to preach and protect the truth of the gospel in all that we say to others. Others might blaspheme Christ at worst, or dilute his gospel at best, but we have the responsibility and the privilege of speaking the truth in love. May every word from our lips be guarded by the gospel and guard the gospel at the same time.
You: Do your typical responses throughout the day display the gospel of peace and uprightness?
You in Christ: Look at Colossians 3:15-16.The word of Christ dwells in you. How might trusting this allow you to speak the truth of the knowledge of God to others?
Christ in you: How might your words today both guard the gospel and allow the gospel to guard you?
Pray: Father, in Christ and by your Spirit, you have filled my heart with the knowledge of who you are. Help me to guard that knowledge with the things I say. Amen.
To Live is Christ 