Proverbs 12.23 says, a prudent man concealeth knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. But why conceal knowledge? Well, the key to the first half of this proverb is in the word prudent. We looked at this word back in verse 16 of Proverbs 12, where it said, a prudent man covereth shame. In both instances, the prudent man has a sense of the appropriate place and time for doing what is right or saying things. It's sort of like this. I was once told about a reveal party. which is where the sex of the baby is revealed to family and loved ones by the expectant parents. And at this reveal party they were handing out cupcakes filled with either pink or blue icing. It's a pretty standard thing. And they thought they'd made it clear to everyone that they were supposed to get their cupcake and wait until the count of three to bite into the cupcake so that everyone would see the same color icing at the same time. But within seconds of handing out the first cupcakes, as they were still handing them out to others, some crazy lady bit into hers and yelled, it's a boy! The description of the party at that point just seems beyond awkward. I was told that it got completely still and quiet. Slowly everyone's eyes landed on the crazy lady jumping up and down and squealing like she thought she had won by being the first to shout the results of her bite into her cupcake. Then everyone looked at the expectant mother And the guy that was there said her eyes filled with tears as she spoke and her voice cracked as she said, yep, it's a boy. Not much you could do at that point. People surrounded her with hugs and congratulations. And that crazy lady remained clueless until someone explained things to her. But, you know, she just said, well, why didn't someone tell me? You know, that sort of, they had. Do you know anyone like that? That is the opposite of prudent. And to stick with the reveal party illustration, as our proverb says, a prudent man concealeth knowledge. I know of another reveal party. and the maternal grandmother of the baby that was due in the coming month or so, was standing next to a little girl, and the little girl dropped her cupcake, and as it fell to the ground, hit the ground, it opened, showing the icing inside. No one at that moment had noticed, and Grandma was holding her cupcake in one hand. She sat on top of the cupcake that had hit the floor, covering the mouth of the little girl who had just seen the icing, and started to say, See, picture this grandma sitting on the cupcake, one cupcake in one hand, her hand covering the mouth of the little girl on the other hand, and she says, you better count to three quick or the cat's going to get out of the bag. So they did. They counted to three and everyone yelled, it's a girl, all at the same time. Now, Grandma saw the pink icing just like the little girl did. She could have just let the cupcake lay there wide open with all of its pink glory, thus revealing the sex of the baby before the countdown, but she didn't. She held it in, even as excited as she was about what she saw. Those are fine illustrations for examples of what is and what is not prudent when it comes to concealing knowledge, but anyone with any sense can make the application to many other situations when concealing knowledge is the right thing to do. And many times the consequences are much more serious. Matthew Poole said this way back in 1685 regarding the prudent man, quote, he doth not vain gloriously and unseasonably utter what he knows. but keeps it in his breast till he hath a fit occasion to bring it forth for God's glory and the good of others." Proverbs 29.11 says, A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Give this Proverbs some thought, and if there have been times you should have kept your mouth closed and kept information to yourself, and it's happened to all of us, pray and ask the Lord's forgiveness, and then ask for wisdom to do better in the future. None of us are perfect, and the purpose of these Proverbs is to help the humble do better in the future as we seek to live for the Lord Jesus and please Him above all. Be prudent.