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Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Wisdom and discretion - tools to use

The Common English Bible (CEB) heads Proverbs chapter two: Benefits of Wisdom, and The Message encapsulates the chapter with the words Make Insight Your Priority. 

A family dinner this evening included my younger sister’s friend and her husband – a lovely couple.  I was impressed by the way this friend had spoken about a significant re-structure happening in her workplace.  Her comments included no resentment, no rancour or bitterness, no “woe is me” or blame; just a genuine love of the work and of the expected good results for everyone.  To my ear, she demonstrated integrity, uprightness, and discretion – qualities inferred in Proverbs chapter two!

Verse eleven is most interesting regarding the concept of discretion:

·       “Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.” (KJV)

·       “Discretion will guard you, understanding will protect you.” (CEB)

·       “Good sense will scout ahead for danger.  Insight will keep an eye out for you. They’ll keep you from making wrong turns.” (Message)

In my KJV Bible is a pencil marking indicating that discretion can mean “capable of prudent silence.”  And the Dictionary app on my iPhone says that discretion is:

1. the power or right to decide or act according to one’s own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice e.g. It is entirely within my discretion whether I will go or stay.

2. the quality of being discreet, especially with reference to one’s own actions or speech; prudence or decorum e.g. Throwing all discretion to the winds, he blurted out the truth.

 

The wonderful news in verse six is that God is the source of all wisdom.  Thus, wisdom is available to us right now.  It’s ours as we listen for it and use it.  Mary Baker Eddy writes that “Each succeeding year unfolds wisdom, beauty, and holiness.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures p. 246:25)

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