Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”—Luke 7:35
It has been said that wisdom has many children. Two of those children walk hand in hand, and if our own children possess them both, it will go well with them. Wisdom’s twin children are discernment and discretion.
Discernment is knowing what to do. Solomon wrote, “He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment.” Ecc. 8:5) This is the one-two punch of wisdom, knowing both what to do and when to do it. Doing the wrong thing will obviously get you in trouble but doing the right thing at the wrong time will also produce undesirable results. Young people have a notorious reputation for lacking discernment. They can easily succumb to peer pressure, pride, hormones, or impatience. Any one of these four things—and others—can light the fuse of a powder keg that has the potential to change the entire trajectory of their future.
Discretion, on the other hand, is knowing how to do things right, especially in daily life. Let’s face it. It is easy to get hyper-focused for the big events, but true success comes in understanding how to live in the ordinary. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about diet, exercise, education, wealth, marriage, parenting, or our spiritual walks. It all comes down to discretion.
Discretion also leaks over into our interactions with others. Our children need to know how to conduct themselves in society. While we all know the perception about homeschoolers and socialization is a myth. Homeschoolers who are quiet at home would be quiet in the public-school setting. Homeschooling peacocks would be just as extroverted in government schools. It is what it is.
Proverbs gives a strong word picture by use of a simile:
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. —Proverbs 11:22
As odd as it would be to see a pig wearing beautiful jewelry, so it is out of place for a young lady to lack discretion. In looking at the world today, we observe young women who try to be as rough in attitude, crude in actions, and foul in language as young men. Some cuss like sailors while others smoke like chimneys. When we see this world turned upside down, we instinctively know it is out of place. And while it might not be politically correct, we cringe at the thought of the absence of beautiful femininity! It is ironic that we may have trouble defining discretion, but we do not have any trouble recognizing when it is absent.
Proverbs is a treasure trough on the issue of discernment and discretion. Consider just a few additional thoughts:
- Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. —Proverbs 16:24
- Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. —Proverbs 29:30
- When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what[a] is before you,2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.–Proverbs 23:1, 2
- Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. — Proverbs 22:24, 25
- The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. –Proverbs 22:4
- Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. –Proverbs 11:12
- A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it. –Proverbs 16:4
Unkind words. Too many words. Too quick with a response. Lack of table manners and self control. Terrible tempers. Incessant teasing. How to respond to authority. The inspired word of God shows us how to have discernment and discretion. It is our parental responsibility to bring scriptures like these into the arena of life by asking our children what these verses mean, explain why they are important, and inquire how they are striving to implement them in their personal walks.
Discernment and discretion are but two of wisdom’s children. The better our children get to know wisdom’s family members, the more it will benefit them throughout life.
-300x147.jpg)
