Monday, October 12, 2020

Discerning the Best

In one of Paul's letters, he prays that the church would abound, or would exceed what was expected, in love. Normally, one would expect that abundant love would result in abundant generosity, service, or good deeds. And it should. But Paul combines this abundant love with knowledge and understanding. The result is God's family can discern what is best, and live blamelessly. 

Godly discernment can never be just knowledge alone. Nor can it be just love alone. Knowledge brings just a list of rules with no motivation for the good of others. Love alone wants, and works, for others' good, but without direction, boundaries, or an idea of what good entails.

I have discussed this here before. Father has designed the world, and people, to work optimally on specific types of fuel. There are physical fuels, like food, water, and rest. There are spiritual fuels, like love, creativity, and purpose. And the primary fuel is a growing relationship with the Creator, and Father of all. Discerning the best means finding the best way to meet all these needs.

Moreover, love and knowledge need to rule over our conduct. Paul says love and knowledge should produce pure and blameless lives. Fruit of righteous ness that results in glory to Father.

The most obvious thing I am seeing currently is a lot of "hate speech". There may be accurate, even correct, knowledge, but it is not combined with love. And so it does not see, or promote, what is best.

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