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
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!
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)
All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics
