“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Most of us don’t need a dictionary to understand the word headache. We know exactly what it is. For more than a year I experienced the effects of a constant severe headache.
Medical advice was sought. Starting with our wonderful General Practitioner, we moved by referral to the next level, from one specialist to another, from one test, one exam, one bundle of papers to fill out after another. Remedies and solutions were offered by every one of the specialists. What were we to do? Exactly what every other patient in my predicament needs to do … get precise accurate information, weigh the test results, consider the various proposed remedies. You see, we needed to discern between the different options!
Just as precision is everything when it comes to equipment, business solutions and life itself, discernment is everything as well. We wanted to have the truth based on evidence regarding any prognosis offered or treatment recommended. After all, it was my life!
In the same way, precision and discernment are even more significant when it comes to our souls and where we will be spending eternity! When Solomon, the wisest man on the earth in his time was asked what he would prefer from the Lord, he asked for an understanding heart that would enable him to discern between good and evil. It was said of King David, Solomon’s father in 2 Samuel 14:17 that he was able to discern good and evil.
The apostle Paul was encouraging his brethren in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22 of the need to be discerning as well. What was vital to their soul’s salvation then is just as vital for each of us today! When one reads through 1 & 2 Thessalonians, the inspired writer’s intent for them and for us to walk and live in the light of God’s Word becomes very clear.
Knowledge is a valuable thing to obtain, in whatever field of endeavor one might choose to explore. But knowledge is not valuable or useful when it is not the driving force to be applied and used. Isn’t it the height of folly for a person to gain a great wealth of knowledge, only to follow that attainment with bad choices? Of course it is. Knowledge gained should lead to wisdom, especially if that knowledge is of God and His revealed will for man! Admittedly, each of our lives will be the sum total of the choices we’ve made.
Does it really matter whether we sort out truth from error, whether we come to a working knowledge of the truth? We must never, ever become guilty of the sin of presumption! You see, it really does matter for the sake of our own lives … for the honor and the glory of our great and awesome God … and for the sake of all the people that we have influence over.
If we may phrase this in a clear and concise way, we live in a world that has chaos and confusion. Our adversary, Satan is very proficient, clever and powerful in the world of evil in which he operates.
Two forces … two armies … two to worship and serve … only One who will judge! My friends, we simply must be able to discern the difference.
“Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
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