This is a good year for discernment. Now, this word, depending on your past, might be a word that is lost in ‘Christianese.’ We may have heard ‘you need a discerning spirit,’ that kind of thing. But what does discernment really mean?
I’ll only pursue a piece of a definition here. If we say someone has a discerning taste in food, it is that they understand food to a level that what their tastes are are informed by a certain standard: of flavor combinations and offsets, presentation, quality of ingredients, and mastery of culinary skill. They have learned what the culinary arts are trying to do, and this learning has informed their tastes. They, then, are free to enjoy this greater art, so to speak. Now, this doesn’t mean that the eater doesn’t enjoy the simple things, but that now they have begun to understand the different levels of expertise in the culinary arts, and their learning has opened their eyes to being able to enjoy this craft. Now this example might hit home to you or not, depending if this is something you are interested in.
However the Bible says we should (if we are to be fully grown humans) be interested in a very particular type of discerning: that is, the kind wisdom provides. We are to be wise-agents in God’s world. Now this cuts against certain grains, the world very often tries to keep us from wisdom. It would rather have us engage the emotions. React, respond. But as we already said, discernment is the learning of a standard that then starts to change or remodel our tastes and emotions. And the standard here is the person of Christ. When we read the gospel, say our prayers, worship, meditate, and reflect, we begin to hold our tastes up to a greater expertise. A greater standard. (Now do not confuse what I am saying here with a doctrine of salvation, or of sanctification, we are talking about discernment.)
The first step to understanding how much we need discernment may be seen the moment we wake up. Our phones have ads, and so discernment starts—blurry eyed—we ask: why are they selling these things, and how are they phrasing the pitch?
The news has messaging: why are they giving me this particular story, what framing are they using, how long are they delivering it in relation to other pressing stories, and why are they delivering it with these words and phrases.
Politicians give messages: why are they saying these things, what words or phrases are they choosing, if they ask for my trust, are they worthy of it?
And this, all before 8am.
It goes on and on, there is no passive word in the world, and if we’re not careful, we might go along with something that is quite against the taste we are to develop. To further the point, I want to illuminate a cultural aspect, it now appears that all things out there, all advice, is equal in a way, all things we hear are equally ‘takes’ or ‘opinions.’
We have suspicion of expertise.
Yet a very large part of discerning is the ability to trust a source. If a person is educated and experienced, thus lending an expertise to something, their words are to be weighed heavier than a novice. Like a cosmology lesson given by your uncle versus a cosmologist or astronaut, or a sales pitch for a pastry from a grocery store versus one made by an eighty year old French grandmother.
Yet if someone has vested interest that weighs more than any expertise brought to bear on the situation, then their message weighs less. Like a vacuum salesman who will do anything for a sale, or a politician who lies so often that the truth is obscured. We have to be able to tell the differences.
A good source must be a knowledgeable and trustworthy source.
Our taste has to be held to a standard that remodels our emotions. There is no mistake that the Bible calls for our wisdom-muscle to be worked out, and worked out often as to become strong. Jesus (amongst many more examples) used parables that engaged this muscle. And it seems to me, He said a striking phrase that can be brought into this conversation: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” However, we take notice, the sheep must first, know the voice, and then, choose to listen, even when tastes and emotions would have other directions to go, other voices to listen to.
Perhaps this year is a good year for the Proverbs, a good year for the Parables. I encourage you, as I encourage myself, to engage these two things afresh. Wisdom is a quiet harbor during a storm, an anchor during the tempest. Our emotions alone won’t cut it in this age, they are being pulled, we can feel ourselves being beaten up by the constant messaging that would lead us this way and that, and so wisdom is the muscle we need, or we’ll fall over.
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.” —Proverbs 2
“My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment. They will be life to your soul and adornment to 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 rest, your sleep will be sweet. Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.” —Proverbs 3
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12.2
We end with a quote that is a warm one. No matter how complex the world gets, we should not despair.
“It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels. The world is all grown strange...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?'
'As he ever has judged,' said Aragorn. 'Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien
Questions for reflection:
When do I respond-automatically instead of taking a breath, taking a moment to consider the way of wisdom, of discernment, and then—respond?
In what ways have I been blinded (willfully or passively) to the influences and motives of messaging?
In what ways have I been non-analyzing about a message just because it met me on my emotional or ‘tastes’ level of my heart?
Lord, may every message I receive in my heart and mind—be held up to your renewal of me, that they might be put to the test, and, may my search for wisdom and discernment be never ending, never arrogant, but rooted in you. Amen.