My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:1-8)
The value of wisdom is in the peace and confidence it gives us in life. We continue our look at a few ways we can equip ourselves to live wisely.
- A wise person values right and seeks to discern the difference between right and wrong when making decisions.
- A wise person discerns the difference between the truth and a lie.
One of the more famous stories surrounding the life and wisdom of Solomon is about two women in conflict who came to him for judgment. Each lived in the same house. Each had given birth to a son. One rolled over on her son during the night, suffocating the baby. So, stealthily she exchanged infants while her friend slept. When morning came, the second woman found a dead infant in her bed but knew it was not her own. The first, of course, claimed innocence and protested that the living baby was hers. Solomon quickly surmised the situation and asked for his sword. "I will give each woman half of the living child," he decreed. At that one woman protested. "No, let her have him. By no means slay the baby." The other said: "Fair is fair. Kill the child." Solomon immediately awarded custody to the first woman, knowing that a real mother's heart would do anything to save her baby. He was wise enough to discern between truth and lie.
The world is forever campaigning that we accept lies as truth.
· "Morality is personal, and the rules thus change from individual to individual."
· "Don't get mad, get even."
· "Safe sex." "Soft drugs." "White lies." "New age."
· "I can worship God just as effectively hiking as I can in church."
· "It's okay as long as no one gets hurt."
· "It's not really stealing if their insurance covers it."
· "Everybody does it."
· "I'm only human."
Having been heard long enough, those phrases become palatable…accepted…baptized by society as the new truth even if they are essentially the old lies. Situational ethics and the casting off of truth as past traditions and not unalterable principles have weakened our society.
What is truth, and how can we know it? We find the answer in Christ’s statement, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Do our catch phrases resonate with his teachings? Is our new ethic consistent with the ethic he taught and preached as recorded in scripture?
Is the bumper sticker, "This vehicle insured by Smith and Wesson," compatible with his words, "Love your enemy, and pray for those who despitefully use you"?
Is our Golden Rule, "Do unto others before they get the chance to do unto you," synonymous with His, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."? (NIV)
If we would make our lives wise, we need to determine the difference between truth and lie. That is only accomplished by listening carefully to him who said, "I am the way (and) the truth ...."
Scripture to Claim:
"... If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32)
