The Importance of knowledge and discernment

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:9-11; Proverbs 2:1-11

In our Scriptures for today,  Paul is targeting his prayers for the Philippian church. “I pray that your love would keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment.” What is Paul talking about—love is love—right??? Well, he is telling us now to understand that in everything we do in our walk with Christ, including responding and acting out of the love of God needs to be tempered by both knowledge and discernment (or another translation uses the word judgment or insight). 

To love with knowledge means that you don’t allow your heart to rule your head. Jeremiah 17:9 says that the heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?”  Verse 10 says, “I, the LORD, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.” Often, when dealing with people, we need the Spirit of God to help us to discern their character and integrity. 

Paul in Colossians tells us to set our minds on things above. In Romans we are encouraged to have our minds transformed. In Corinthians we are told we have the mind of Christ and the Spirit to reveal things to us. As a result—the mind, surrendered to the Lord, helps us in what Paul is talking about—not only growing in our knowledge of God and his ways, but to also have keen discernment in our life situations.

Let me give you an example of needed discernment. Often, when in a larger place, like Springfield, or on Tuesday when I was in Cassville there were four people on Highway 37 at the stop light with reflective vests and buckets for people to put donations into but no identifying signs, Honestly, wherever you see people on the street corners with signs asking for help your need discernment regarding your finances. On the news a few nights ago, they talked about a group of people that travel together. Sometimes they have children with them and their sign may say need food and money for a place to stay and keep our children safe. Or the sign may read needing money for a funeral. These are actually planned groups for gathering of money and their signs are deceitful. Having the discernment of the Lord functioning in us will tell us that love does not respond to these types of instances. Now I am not saying there are not people with legitimate needs, but we also have a deep responsibility with our own resources to utilize them as the Lord would direct not as our heart would when our mind may be telling us—no, don’t do it.

Another example that I read during my research for this message this morning talked about a spoiled child. The kind of child whose parents spoiled him or her because they thought that their love for the child would be questioned if they ever denied them anything. As a result, that child got everything they wanted whether they needed it or not and grew up without a sense of values or responsibility. The child never learned the difference between wants and needs. Sadly, I think we see this in our society today—no accountability for one’s actions.

The love that invariably says yes is not necessarily agape love showing discretion. We need to understand what Paul is saying—love disciplines with adequate understanding and realistic evaluation. If it doesn’t, then the quality of the love is needing to be questioned.

We need to understand that love exercises both discipline and discernment in its associations and relationships. Your love should be able to differentiate between a genuine need that you should attempt to meet, and a phony pitch that you should attempt to expose. Love should also recognize the difference between emotional stress to be reached out to, and selfish egotism to be rebuked.

Love should also know how to consistently love sinners and consistently hate sin. Our Lord gave us beautiful examples of this in his response to Mary Magdalene’s sin and her crushing need. He saw behind the grasping greed of Zacchaeus and knew the empty heart that longed for love and acceptance.

Paul’s urgent message is to let your love abound more and more, but let it abound in judgment, let it abound in being able to discern. This love is to run over like an overflowing cup or as a river overflows. But as a reminder, this love should be more than sentimental; it should be knowledgeable and discerning. It should be functioning with genuine spiritual knowledge of God and have a depth of insight into God’s ways that in turn enable us to love the Lord and others more.

We need to be able to discern what is best—not just the mediocre. This comes in the knowledge aspect of our verses today. We need to be constantly growing in our knowledge of God’s ways and His Word. What are you doing to establish this kind of action in your life with Jesus? Are you having daily devotions? Are you spending time in prayer—not only talking to God but are you learning to discern His voice and working to listen more closely to Him. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him—is that you? Do you recognize His voice when all the other voices are shouting in your head? Are you taking advantage of worship opportunities, Bible study opportunities—anything that can enhance your learning of the Lord.

Psalm 90:12 says, “teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” Psalm 86:11 says, “teach me your ways, LORD, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.”

Our other portion of Scripture today clearly corresponds with Paul’s desire for the Philippians believers and the Holy Spirit’s message to each of us. Listen again to the Word of the Lord:

Proverbs 2:1-11 (read) We are to call out for insight, lift our voice for understanding—in other words—Lord, I need insight, I need understanding, teach me, show me your ways. If we take the effort to seek this out, searching for it diligently then there is an understanding that comes with a deeper knowledge of God and his ways.

It is from the Lord where wisdom comes—He is the one who provides our ability to grow in knowledge and understanding. I love verses 10 and 11 of Proverbs 2—it tells me that if I do this, if I cry out then wisdom will enter my heart and the knowledge that I gain will delight me. It tells me that discretion or discernment will watch over me and the understanding that I gain will guard me—or in other words, protect me from making stupid decisions!!

Sound judgment—wisdom—gaining knowledge of God to be able to better not only respond to His love but to give it out to others that we encounter.

It was Paul’s prayer for his people that their love would grow greater every day. That love, which was not merely a sentimental thing, was to grow in knowledge and in sensitive perception so that they would be more and more able to distinguish between right and wrong. Love is always the way to knowledge. If we love any subject, we want to learn more about it; if we love any person, we want to learn more about him or her; if we love Jesus, we will want to learn more about him and about his truth.

Love is always sensitive to the mind and the heart of the one it loves. If it blindly and blunderingly hurts the feelings of the one it claims to love, it is not love at all. If we really love Jesus, we will be sensitive to his will and his desires; the more we love him; the more we will instinctively shrink from what is evil and desire what is right.

Real love is not blind; it will enable us always to see the difference between what is false and what is true.

What is the aim of Paul’s message today—it is to live a such a life that the glory and the praise are given to God. Christian goodness is not meant to win credit for ourselves, it is to win the praise of Jesus. Everything we do is strengthened by the grace of God in our lives—and that includes how we love by growing in our knowledge and being people of wisdom and discernment.