When I was young I followed the religion of my parents. I never read the Bible or knew much about God at all. I was very dim to a lot of Biblical truths.
As I began to read the Bible, I would get upset at first because there were verses that seemed to contradict one another. I needed God’s wisdom, but eventually I realized that I needed His discernment, too.
So I sought God for both wisdom and discernment. Without discernment, you can easily be deceived. You need to know the truth.
Solomon was a king whose kingship was described in the Bible. He was a very wise man, but not fully capable of making wise decisions until God gave him this wisdom, along with very great discernment. God knew that without discernment, wisdom alone wouldn’t help Solomon make the wisest decisions.
“Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.” (1 King 4:29)
Read about how King Solomon used both wisdom and discernment to learn the truth about the baby in the following scriptures:
“Now two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him. And one woman said, ‘O my lord, this woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. Then it happened, the third day after I had given birth, that this woman also gave birth. And we were together; no one was with us in the house, except the two of us in the house. And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I had examined him in the morning, indeed, he was not my son whom I had borne.’ Then the other woman said, ‘No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.’ And the first woman said, ‘No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.’ Thus they spoke before the king. And the king said, ‘The one says, “This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one”; and the other says, “No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.” ’ Then the king said, ‘Bring me a sword.’ So they brought a sword before the king.And the king said, ‘Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.’ Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, ‘O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!’ But the other said, ‘Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.’ So the king answered and said, ‘Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.’ ”(1 Kings 3:16-27, NKJV)
In the following verse, we learn that all of Israel heard the King’s judgment and were in fear of him, as God had given him both the wisdom (and discernment) to administer justice in this case.
We should all pray the following verse:
“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.” (Psalm 199:66)
Do not be deceived! First discern the fear of the Lord!
Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.
God’s Word for Today: “For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity; guarding the paths of justice, and He Preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice, and equity, and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will guard you. Understanding will watch over you.” (Proverbs 2:3-11)
Copyright © 2018 by Patricia Shehan
All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics
