GetWisdom PaperturnSampler FINAL SinglePages - Flipbook - Page 115
LIVING IN AUTHENTICITY
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PHILIPPIANS
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Being discerning means being perceptive as you pore over what you
know and apply knowledge in a practical way.
8. How can you be discerning without being judgmental?
In John 7:24, Jesus says to the crowd listening to Him, “Don’t be
hypercritical; use your head—and heart!—to discern what is right,
to test what is authentically right” (msg). He is the perfect example
of recognizing behavior as wrong and hating evil yet still showing
compassion. It’s the very definition of discernment, right? Judging
carries with it condemnation and a condescending attitude. We’re
not to place someone beneath us; we’re to love them right where we
both are, realizing that we all struggle.
“So that you may approve what is excellent” (verse 10)
The term may approve is translated as dokimaz (δοκιμζω, pronounced do-ki-mahd-zo) which, as we learn from the BLB, essentially
means “to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is
genuine or not).”22 This term was particularly used when testing the
authenticity of coins,23 which feels like such a solid, visible example
of the importance of authenticity. None of us want to have a pocket
of fraudulent coinage . . . and none of us want a heart full of fraudulence and inauthenticity. By being able to discern what is best and
substantial, we’re able to recognize what really matters in life.
I love the way The Message translates this passage:
This is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that
you will not only love much but well. Learn to love
appropriately. You need to use your head and test your
feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not
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