Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Something Worth Having”
"The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight..." – Proverbs 1:1,2

Key Word, Wisdom: "The power of true and right discernment."

Something is missing in today’s world—it is called effort! And I must admit I am as guilty as any when it comes to not putting in the kind of effort it takes to do a job right. The internet has made us “lazy,” and the video age has decreased for many the ability to think logically as fewer are reading as a source of knowledge and/or entertainment. In short, we are losing our ability to “discern.”
A great example of “discernment” in Solomon's life was his decision regarding an argument over all things a baby. Two women approached him arguing that the same baby belonged to each of them. Solomon's solution was to have the child sliced in two, giving half to each. (1st Kings 3:14-28). I question whether he would have actually performed such a gruesome task; however, Solomon had a hunch that the real mother would act on behalf of the child. When that woman stepped forward to plead for the child’s welfare, his discernment served to find the proper solution for a very sticky situation.
Regardless of the situation we may find ourselves involved in, God’s wisdom offers simple, almost too simple solutions to life’s problems! It does not always mean that the solution will be pleasant and to our liking – it may, from time to time cause us to go outside our “comfort zones.” In the scenario above, the real mother was willing to let the other woman have the baby if it meant making certain the child would remain unharmed.
How well do you react to situations where there does not seem to be a clear and precise resolution? Do you say, "I don't know," and just leave it at that? Admittedly, this is the easiest solution and the route many take. It requires nothing out of us—but in the end nothing gets resolved. It is without question a lazy approach and far too many accept it as the only solution. There is a second approach—we could say, "I don't know, but I will find out!" Yes, that approach takes effort. And yes, it may take time, and research, and in the end you may not have discovered the answer you were looking for, but isn’t it worth it to know that you did everything possible to find one?
Jesus referred to Himself as, "The way, the truth and the life..." (John 14:6). This means that we do not have to settle for the "I don't knows" but instead, we can "Learn to Discern!"
Was Solomon alone in his ability to make wise decisions? Absolutely not!! Remember this—he was just a human. I am convinced that the gift he was given was not some magical wave of the hand of God over Solomon’s brain—but more a desire God placed within his heart to seek the mind of God through prayer when faced with issues beyond his ability to resolve.
The wisdom of God is available to us all if we would just seek it with our whole heart—which may mean doing some reading…praying…fasting…and effort. But it always worth having!
Pastor J. T. Carnell.