Be careful who you listen to.
This advice applies to the people we seek counsel from, the information we consume, and the philosophies we follow. The voices and stories we allow to become a part of the guiding principles in our lives will either lead us closer or further away from the Lord. We find this truth exemplified throughout the Bible. Adam and Eve chose to disregard what God had told them and heeded the words of the crafty serpent. Likewise, Rehoboam listened to his foolish friends instead of the wise counsel of those who were older and more experienced. And Ahaziah followed the advice of his wicked mother.
If these individuals had sought godly advice instead of following the speech that was easiest to hear or most tempting, problems could have been avoided. What they needed, and what we still need today, is discernment. We must be aware of the voices we are lending our ears to and learn to differentiate between the philosophies of the world and the truth of God’s Word. Only then will we be able to follow Jesus unhindered by the voices clamoring for our attention.
Biblical Example of Solomon – Praying for Wisdom, but Later Falling into Foolishness
God told Solomon he could ask for anything and receive it. The Lord did this in kindness to Solomon’s father, David, whom He had promised the kingship. As such, the gift was unprecedented. Solomon could have asked for anything: wealth, power, a larger kingdom. Yet he did not request any of those common desires. He asked for discernment (1 Kings 3:6-9).
Because of his youth and recent ascent to the throne, Solomon knew he would need wisdom when ruling, so he could make proper judgments. He recognized that discernment was needed in the life of a king, and that is what the Lord granted the young ruler. He was pleased with the request and even granted Solomon what he had not asked for – wealth and honor (1 Kings 3:10, 13-14). As God told the king, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be” (1 Kings 3:12, NIV).
Much of Solomon’s life testifies to this truth, such as his righteous judgment in the case of the two women and the child (1 Kings 3:16-28). Hiram, the king of Tyre, also praised the wisdom of Solomon (2 Chronicles 2:12). People traveled from afar, including the Queen of Sheba, to hear the teachings of this wise king (1 Kings 10:1-9). Who else could have written the pithy sayings of the wisdom literature in the Bible? Biblical scholars recognize Solomon as the author of books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. The wise ruler was right; wisdom starts with proper fear (or respect) of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10).
However, even the wisest individuals are not immune to temptation. As Solomon adopted more customs of the surrounding cultures, doing exactly what Moses had warned against, he gradually fell into decline (see Deuteronomy 17:14-17). He collected chariots from Egypt, practiced polygamy by marrying foreign women, and was eventually seduced into worshiping the detestable idols of the nations, including Ashtoreth and Molech (1 Kings 11:3-6). The young man who had prayed for wisdom eventually grew old and acted in foolishness by turning away from God.
Solomon’s case is not unique. We are all at risk of following suit if we fail to continue practicing discernment. Praying for wisdom is not enough. Neither is growing content with our ability to make judgments. We must continually seek the wisdom of God and actively walk in the ways of the wise. Only then will we avoid the mistake of Solomon.
The Need for Wisdom in Following God
Scripture provides multiple images for wisdom, including being personified as a woman. Wisdom contrasts in appearance and actions with the foolish, adulterous woman who leads victims to their demise (Proverbs 5:6). Thus, having wisdom is like owning treasure. As Proverbs tells us, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her” (Proverbs 3:13-15, NIV).
This imagery contrasts with how many believers view discernment today. Too many of us have associated practicing wisdom in our choices with legalistic practices. Thus, some Christians assume that when someone mentions the need to be discerning, that this is the same as legalism – following a set of rules for the sake of earning God’s favor.
As the language of Proverbs shows us, though, discernment is not a limiting practice in which we self-righteously create a checklist of dos and “don’ts” for ourselves. Rather, we are utilizing the rich treasure that is available to all who pray and ask for it (see James 1:5). Discernment allows us to make decisions with a focus on what will make us more Christlike.
And we cannot dismiss the need to decide between what is right and wrong, and even what is good and best. If we want to follow the Lord and obey His Word, then we need wisdom since Scripture is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). We must experience the transformation of our minds if we want to know and do the will of the Lord (Romans 12:2).
Protecting Ourselves from False Teaching and Temptation
Cultivating judgment also protects us. There are people who seek to lead us astray from the truth, wolves in sheep’s clothing who sneak into our churches to prey on us (Matthew 7:15). False teachers have been around since the early days of the church, and like the early disciples, we must be ready to contend for the faith and spot questionable areas of doctrine when we see or hear it.
Christians today can learn from the example of the Berean Christians who wisely compared the message of Paul to Scripture. The book of Acts tells us: “ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11, NIV). They used proper judgment so that they did not merely believe whatever was told to them.
Like the Bereans, we should grow in our faith, so we are not tossed about by every wind of doctrine (see Ephesians 4:14). We need a solid understanding of Scripture to be able to practice discernment when we hear new teachings that do not align with God’s Word.
Wisdom also guards us from temptation because it reminds us that sinful desires only produce harm. The book of Proverbs shows us the folly of those who walk the path of sin. Though it may appear desirable, sin always leads to destruction. We see this exemplified in the adulterous woman. Her words, and the temptations of sin, appear sweet but eventually turn bitter (Proverbs 5:3-4). When we turn away from wisdom to follow the foolish woman, our path will only lead to destruction for her house leads to death (Proverbs 7:27).
Walking As a Wise Christian
To avoid being ensnared by false teaching and temptation, we must walk in the ways of the wise. This starts with fearing, or reverencing, the Lord and honoring Him as God. True wisdom comes from Him and differs from worldly wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; see also James 3:13-18). Anyone can increase their basic intelligence and even gain a level of prestige among the people of the world. However, godly discernment originates with the Lord and His Word. Sometimes what may seem like a good choice according to the ways of the world is foolishness in the eyes of God.
We must humble ourselves and ask the Lord for discernment. The Spirit will then help us as we study the Word and grow in wisdom. With the words of Scripture filling our hearts and minds, we will be better equipped to make decisions and exercise discernment in moments that call us to act, or to be still and wait on the Lord.
Following the path of wisdom also means keeping company with the wise, not the foolish (Psalm 1:1; 1 Corinthians 15:33). We might not always be able to choose who we are around, but we can take the initiative to form godly relationships with those who love the Lord and follow Him. The more we are exposed to those who seek to honor God with their lives and choices, the more we will learn to model their behavior, imitating them as they imitate Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17, and Hebrews 13:7). As Proverbs 13:20 teaches us, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (NLT).
Ultimately, the issue of discernment boils down to who we want to be. We should not evaluate situations and choices based on a desire to appear outwardly righteous or to earn a higher standing with the Lord. Everyone has done wrong and are equally in need of God’s grace. Instead, we should pray for and practice discernment with the focus of becoming more like Christ – To be the person who shines His light into a dark world; to be someone who loves with a self-giving love, overflowing from a place of deep understanding of the love that He has given. A Christ-follower desires to grow to be more like their Savior, which is the primary reason to practice godly discernment.
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