i was reading old journal notes today. i had something written from jason upton, probably from when i saw him a few summers ago at a church, and he said something that i find super valuable:

what you know, can keep you from what you need to know.

sounds so silly and cliche. and maybe even obvious. of course, bad knowledge keeps you from knowing good knowledge; one belief holds you from another; rumors keep you from the truth. all that. but i really started to think about it, meditate on it.

i've been reading a lot lately. books. great information, and the majority of it is keeping me humble because it is truly bringing to my eyes how little i know. how little i know about God, how he works, his infinite wisdom, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

however, just a few days ago, while on my lunch break, i quickly ran to starbucks downtown, grabbed a white mocha, and read proverbs. the book OF wisdom. holy smokes, is it ever wise. and as i read more and more, i felt like a little kid again, reading something i had never seen before. i even texted a few people in amazement asking if they ever stop and read proverbs. i couldn't even handle it. proverbs 22 was where i camped out for the half hour, and every verse was just overflowing with wisdom.

2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.

11 He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.

17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, 18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.


11 and 17 were what hit me hard. he who loves purity of heart. i don't know if that word 'love' has action attached to it, because we can all 'love' the idea of purity, but when the actual battle is put down, i wonder how many of us try to do it on our own. i know i have.

the idea of something and the actual substance can be blurred quite frequently, but i don't think they are ever meant to. whose speech is gracious? goodness, i am far from this. but i don't want to be. incline your ear and hear the words of the wise.

i just want wisdom. i want to dig deep into the trenches of my life and the lives that i am surrounded by, and just have wisdom for anything that would be thrown at me, or that i would be put in. i work in 3 very different environments, and usually every day, there are choices that need to be made. i'm not speaking executively either.

i'm talking about the choice to join a conversation that has to do with trash talking someone. purity of heart bingo. we love the idea of it, but our humanity cries out for that one give-in to speak ill against a brother or sister because that is so easy. takes no effort. but i still love the idea of purity.

the dichotomy of humanity is mind boggling. i've decided to not attempt understanding because i feel like there's always going to be another door to be opened, and therefore, entering into another room that extends to another hallway, and the cycle just goes.

i want wisdom. 2011 needs to be a year where wisdom just abounds. this is what i am aiming for.