Two friends, Anne and Maria, were discussing a certain thing Anne had dreamed of buying for a long time. "I do hope you'll be able to get it soon," Maria said. "I know it'll mean so much to you." With a warm smile, Anne replied, "You would understand that."What was Anne saying? That her friend was more understanding about things in general? Not necessarily. I think she meant, "You know my interests; you're interested in me to the point of realizing what gives me real pleasure."How do we acquire this brand of understanding? Where does it spring from? Is it a quality that can be cultivated? How much demand is there for such understanding? To the first of these questions we can answer that this brand of understanding comes largely by listening. Listening produces the innate sense that makes people say when they receive a gift from us, "How did you know that it's exactly what I wanted?" We all know people who are by no means beauty queens; they are not super intellectuals, not especially creative. But they have that something about them that makes other people say, "He/She understands."Perhaps if we recognized the worth of this quality more than we do, some of us might be praying Solomon's prayer. Solomon didn't have a corner on God-given understanding. He did exhibit superior wisdom in that the one thing he asked for, knowing that whatever he asked, it would assuredly be given, was an understanding heart. God will still graciously give an understanding heart to any of us who want this gift to use for his glory. And surely nothing can better smooth relationships than true understanding. How often, in sheer frustration, someone who needs help will lament, "You just don't understand."Having asked God for this priceless gift, we then set about to use it, and as we do, we cultivate greater understanding. Understanding will never be a glut on the market of interpersonal relations. AUTHOR: Jeanette Lockerbie
"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for- both riches and honor- so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statues and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life." (I Kings 3:7-14 NIV)
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"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for- both riches and honor- so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statues and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life." (I Kings 3:7-14 NIV)