"Women of Purity, Passion, & Purpose"

Gift of Discernment

Matthew 26:10 ~ Jesus said, "Why are you troubling this woman?  for she has wrought a good work upon me." {KJV}

It is imperative for us as believers to operate with the gift of discernment. It is the ability to distinguish by the power of the Holy Spirit right from wrong, God from Satan, a good thing from a God thing, and Spirit from flesh.

This gift should be included in every believer's Spiritual Wardrobe. It is this gift that will keep us from making irrational decisions and serious mistakes that will jeporadize our relationship with Christ and others. It is this gift that allows us to rightly judge the things of God and the things of the world, and to separate Spirit from flesh.

Discernment keeps us from making flesh decision. It keeps us from entering into bad relationships. It is when we are subject to the guiding of the Holy Spirit that we become "Women of Discernment". It is when we tune out the gift that we find ourselves making what we call "stupid mistakes." It was the lack of discernment that caused the woman at the well of Samaria to continue to enter into bad relationships. Not having discernment is like driving a car without a steering wheel.

The disciples did not have this gift, or they would not have judged this woman so harshly when she opened her alabaster box and ministered to their Savior. It was a simple yet very loving thing that woman did for Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper. Over the objections of the disciples, this woman took expensive perfume and anointed Jesus' head with it. Jesus commended her deed as an act of great love and devotion.

It was the gift of discernment that caused this woman to understand the truth about Jesus while his own disciples were still clueless. She obviously discerned where Jesus was headed. She discerned what waited for him just across the way from Bethany over in Jerusalem. She seemed to recognize that Jesus was going to the cross for her sake and for the sake of the whole of sinful humanity. The disciples did not get it---but this woman did, and she responded in love for her Savior.

When we contemplate Jesus' great sacrifice on the cross for us, let us respond with praise and worship. Can we do any less?

"May I praise you, Savior of the world, with the very best I can offer."