Proverbs 3:21-26
My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:21-26 (NIV)
According to the “Life Application Study Bible” p.989, “Discernment (or discretion) is the ability God gives to many people to think and make correct choices. Sound judgement, however, he gives only to those who follow him. Sound judgement includes discernment but goes beyond it. It also includes the knowledge that comes from instruction, training, and discipline, and the insight that comes from knowing and applying God’s s truths.”
In these passages, Solomon is encouraging the people of Israel to live Godly lives by making good choices and decisions. We often see people who do not seem to make correct choices. Those obvious ones often wind up in the local jail or a major prison system. But what about the rest of us? Do we always make the correct choices? I know that over many years, I have made some incorrect choices! In my younger years, I consumed too much alcohol a couple of times (I’m a slow learner). Fortunately, I was not behind the wheel of a motor vehicle either time. But the resulting sickness and headache still arrived in all their glory! I did use some discretion those times by not driving. But sound judgement seemed to be elsewhere! My decision to date and eventually marry my late wife, Joyce, was the best decision I made. She became an integral part of my decision-making process. The church, particularly Southwood Lutheran and its pastors, have helped me make the right choices as well by providing ‘instruction, training and discipline.’
Making the correct decisions is not always easy and it is something we must strive to do every day. Some decisions are small, and the outcomes can be relatively small such as whether to buy whole wheat bread or some other kind. Other decisions seem small at the time but can have devastating outcomes e.g. should I turn right on this red light or not! And there are life changing decisions like whether to attend a university. We make decisions as to how we will treat others. Such decisions can also have lifelong impacts for us and for others! I recently attended the celebration of life for a lifelong friend who went out of his way to treat me and others in a kind and helpful way. He will be missed partly because of the way he treated his fellow human beings as important parts of his life. The bottom line is to use sound judgment and discretion in our lives. This is easier said than done so we must pay attention to what we do.
Questions for Reflection:
- Have you made decisions that negatively impacted your or others’ lives? If so, do you later regret those decisions?
- Is sound judgment a quality you see in yourself? If so, think about examples of where you have made sound judgment.
Prayer:
Dear Lord: Please give me the wisdom to make sound decisions that are respectful of others including our environment. Help me recognize in advance the potential impact of my actions on others, especially if those impacts are negative. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
Login To Leave Comment