Give your servant a discerning heart... to distinguish between right and wrong.

A well-known Swiss pastor and one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the 20th century once said 'Take your Bible and take your newspaper and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.'

1 Kings 3:5-12  The Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”  Solomon answered, "… give your me a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”  …God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be."

In a time when the 24 hours news cycle can be difficult to keep up with and claims of fake news echoes in our ears, the need for wisdom and discernment is paramount.  Like Solomon, we need wisdom and discernment to get to the truth of the matter. 

Many people don't read newspapers anymore; at least not in their printed versions.  A pastor offered this 21st century update on the quote above, “We must hold the Bible in one hand, and our hand-held device in other – filled with Twitter feeds, Facebook updates, blog subscriptions, news articles from a variety of sources and perspectives, societal studies, and local gossip. (Geoff T. Sinibaldo)

How do we know who is telling us the truth?  The headlines these days reveal a divided and polarized country that often equates an accusation or a denial as the truth.  Solomon got to the truth when two women came before him and both claimed to be that infant's mother.  He listened to the claims of each women and called for a sword to divide the baby in half!  The real mother told him to give the baby to the false mother because she didn't want to see him killed, but the false mother heartily agreed with the King's decision and said, 'Cut him in two.'  Solomon's wisdom allowed him to get to the truth of this dispute.  What will you use to discern the truth in the headlines you read?  I'm not advocating the use of a sword in making up your mind as to whom is telling the truth.  But Solomon's decision to divide the baby between both mothers allowed the truth to be revealed.

Is it a coincidence that the writer of the book of Hebrews (4:12) says, '…the living Word of God, which is full of energy and it pierces more sharply than a two-edged sword… it will even penetrate to the very core of our being …and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts'?  Is the imagery of a sword cutting through both the accuser and denier to reveal their true thoughts and secret motives an echo of Solomon's example of wisdom and discernment?  More than ever, with all the voices and opinions reverberating in our ears, we need the same wisdom and discernment that God promised Solomon.  James 1:5 suggests that this wisdom is still available to us, 'If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.'

 I hope that we can precisely employ both wisdom and discernment as we wade through the thorny issues of our days.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

The courage to change the things I can;

And the wisdom to know the difference.