Knowledge Seeks Understanding

She claimed that the other woman rose at midnight, took her living son from beside her, and placed the dead infant in its stead. When the woman arose in the morning to feed the child, she discovered it was dead (1 Kings 3:21). She also discovered in the morning, at the light of day, that it was not her child lifelessly lying beside her in bed. She claimed that the living child was hers. The other woman disputed the claim saying that the first woman's child had simply died and she was now trying to compensate for her loss by taking the live child to be her own.

The situation appeared hopeless. It was the perfect test for Solomon's practical wisdom. What would he do? The king resolved to appeal to the maternal instinct of the women He called for a sword to "divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.” Immediately the child's mother screamed and requested that the king give her own child to the other woman rather than see him slain. Solomon thus discerned which woman was telling the truth and presented the child to his mother. The fame of this decision spread throughout all Israel, inspiring fear of the king's justice and a conviction that God had given Solomon exceptional discernment. This is the key to practical wisdom those two words, exceptional discernment. It’s no good having wisdom without the ability to discern how to use that wisdom. Think of a time when you resolved a situation by rightly discerning ‘what to do.’ … Can you think of another time when you did not exercise wisdom in a particular situation? Practical wisdom is not a ‘one size fits all’ scenario. What is done in one given situation might not work in another setting.

James 1:5

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.

Hosea 14:9

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Psalm 119:125

I am your servant give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Philippians 1:9-10

This is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

In spite of God’s favour on him, Solomon did not always do what was right. His life revealed times when wisdom eluded him completely. He loved many foreign women and his wives turned his heart after other gods. As a result, there were consequences for Solomon and for his kingdom. Solomon was not perfect and he made mistakes in discernment.

You and I make mistakes too. Discernment and wisdom to know what to do in any given situation only comes with experience. The theory is that the older you are – the more discerning you will be. As you go along in life, the hope is that the mistakes are less. Scientists in Texas designed two experiments to mirror realistic decision-making scenarios that revealed older people were far better at making choices that led to long-term gain. While university age participants were quicker to make choices when led to immediate rewards. The group aged 60 to 80 was much more adept at taking strategic decisions, which considered future stages. The study shows that ‘wisdom does indeed come with age.’