Discernment

That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying,
Come, let us meet together
in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.
But they thought to do me mischief. Nehemiah 6.2

Nehemiah was born in Babylon, and served the King of Persia. Jerusalem’s walls had been just piles of rubble for almost 160 years. But Nehemiah persuaded the King of Persia to let him return and try to help the people and rebuild the city. Nehemiah prayed often to God for help and for guidance in the task. He was so successful, that the rebuilding of the walls took only 52 days. But the task was not accomplished without difficulties.

When the walls were almost complete, Sanballat and Geshem sent letters to Nehemiah, with a pretense of friendship and asking for a meeting. Nehemiah refused to be distracted from his work. (How much real work gets done in most meetings?) Then they tried to make him afraid with false rumors. Finally, they sent false friends with offers of protection and religious behavior. Nehemiah was able to discern the truth behind these distractions, and know that they were all attempts to stop the rebuilding of the wall. Sanballat and Geshem had no concern for Nehemiah’s welfare. They had no wish for friendship, or desire to warn Nehemiah of a true pitfall. They only wanted to stop the work, and were willing to use lies, rumors and false religion to do it.

Nehemiah saw through all this. So how can we develop discernment for the distractions and falseness in the world? The first essential is to always go back to the Word. Falsehood is only revealed when it is compared with truth. Have you ever heard one side of a story, and thought it was plausible, until you heard the other side. Falsehood by itself seems unremarkable. But compare it to the Truth, and the inconsistencies are revealed.

Discernment increases with spiritual maturity. As you learn more about God and His ways, the things that are not of Him become clearer. Discernment is something spiritual babies don’t have; after all, a baby will stick anything in his mouth. Finally, learn to rely on the leading of the Comforter, the holy spirit given by God. Discernment between a distraction and the proper time to take action allows us to focus on the task at hand – the work we do for God.

But the Comforter, which is the holy spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.