My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Incline your ear to my insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. Proverbs 5:1-2, TLV
Who is Steering Your Words? I love delving into those old-fashioned, seldom used words like prudence, integrity, and abomination. Words that have clear boundaries of right and wrong. In today’s proverb, my favorite word is discretion.
Typically, I will post the definition, but over the years I’ve seen differences in those definition depending upon the publication. Today there were clear differences. First, the traditional definition:
Discretion: [noun] the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information: “she knew she could rely on his discretion.” Synonyms: circumspection, care, carefulness, caution, wariness. Antonyms indiscretion: rashness, carelessness. [Oxford Dictionary]
Another Definition
Usually, my go-to dictionary is Merriam-Webster because it generally has more of a Judeo-Christian perspective. However, the primary definition was a bit disturbing:
Discretion: individual choice or judgment, as in “left the decision to his discretion.”
It’s subtle, but here’s what I glean from this: discretion used to be a quality — a sign of integrity. There, in the background, was the understanding that this discretion had a foundation in something — and Someone — greater than them. The “new” definition leaves it all in our own judgment. What we think is good or bad.
Ultimately, we do make the decision or choice or judgment. We are responsible for that choice. However, these days we seem to be punished for the good and the bad are rewarded. These judgments are based on whatever society deems as “righteous.”
Bringing back the “old-fashioned”?
There are things from the world’s history considered righteous that were not—like slavery, racism, devaluing women, etc. Changes like civil rights were a good thing. Continuing to fight for freedom for all is a good thing. Strange enough, protecting everyone’s rights is Biblical. Justice for all the innocent is Biblical.
Proverbs discusses in practical terms how justice is the responsibility of everyone. How wrong bribery is, and how favoring the criminal — whether rich or poor — is displeasing to God. Yeshua expanded these truths in His messages from mountains to plains.
Bringing back the “old-fashioned” is more about bringing back Biblical living. That God’s truth is not vague or changeable.
William James (1842-1910), the father of modern psychology said, “There’s nothing so absurd that if you repeat it often enough, people will believe it.”
In other words, if one keeps repeating a lie, eventually people will believe it.
I believe this is happening more than we realize.
Words have power — for good and evil. Truth or lies. When we confuse the meaning of words, we create an unstable culture with an unbalanced foundation.
We don’t have to believe the lie that says we must believe the lies.
We can believe the truth that has stood for thousands and thousands of years. How do we begin? By knowing the Truth in His Word. By knowing His definitions of a righteous person. And then, we live it. Teach it. Share it. Not being ashamed to speak it. Paying attention to how words are used and misused, with an eye toward true justice.
Sigh. I had a different theme intended for this blog. But as can happen from time to time, the Holy Spirit seemed to have diverted the message. My hope is that as this message illuminated a better understanding for me, it has done the same for you.
