Page 10 - July 2025 - Truth & Tidings

moment of weakness, a rash deci- was caused by a lack of discernment.
sion, an obviously wrong choice–
at
A some point in our lives, acting Relational Damage
with a lack of discernment is inevitable. The first reference in the Bible to some-
While at times a lack of discernment can one who lacked discernment, to someone
easily be corrected, at other times even a who did not rightly scrutinize a situation,
momentary lapse can lead to life-altering is in the account of Isaac’s blessing of his
consequences. Discernment is something sons in his old age in Genesis 27. There
to be desired; it is about finding wisdom we find Jacob, at the advice of his mother,
from on high. “The entrance of Your coming to steal a blessing from his brother
words gives light; it gives understanding Esau. The plot is not all that elaborate:
to the simple” (Psa 119:130). A discern- Rebekah prepared the stew, Jacob raided
1
ment-filled life leads to a God-pleasing his brother’s wardrobe and placed a few
life. But what happens if it is lacking? coverings of goat skins on his arms, and
The Lord Jesus rebuked a group of the plan was set. Isaac, even in his old age,
people in Luke 12 because, even though had his doubts when Jacob came in, as
they had the ability to discern obvious the voice sounded different even though
secular and societal things such as the the hands felt like Esau’s. And it says that
weather, they lacked spiritual discern- Isaac did not “discern” him. He didn’t
ment. “Whenever you see a cloud rising weigh and ponder the situation enough;
out of the west, immediately you say, he didn’t carefully consider it, and there-
‘A shower is coming’; and so it is” (Luk fore did not perceive the situation clearly;
12:54). He called them hypocrites for not he lacked discernment. As a result, he gave
being able to discern the spiritual signs of the blessing to Jacob over Esau; Rebekah’s
the time, the deeper, more profound and favorite son won the blessing. But it was
more valuable things. In other words, ac- Isaac’s lack of discernment that led to
cording to the Lord Jesus, it is one thing the relational and familial problems that
to be able to discern earthly signs and would follow. “So Esau hated Jacob be-
plan accordingly, but it’s another thing cause of the blessing with which his father
altogether to be able to discern the things blessed him, and Esau said in his heart,
which are spiritual and of eternal value. ‘The days of mourning for my father are
But what is the big deal, you may ask? at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob’”
Is discernment really that vital to the (Gen 27:41).
Christian life? We see many examples Rebekah thought it would take just a
throughout Scripture of damage that matter of days for them to heal from the
damage done. She told Jacob, “Arise, flee
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the to my brother Laban in Haran. And stay
NKJV. with him a few days, until your brother’s

202 TRUTH kTidings July 2025