TO DISCERN WHAT IS BEST

“And this is my prayer: 
that your love may abound more and more 
in knowledge and depth of insight, 
so that you may be able to discern what is best 
and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ— to the glory and praise of God.” 
(Philippians 1:9–11) 

To discern what is best is often to pay attention. To pay attention is to pay for what we attend to…it will usually have a cost. Paul wrote, “it is more and more in knowledge and depth of insight” (1:9)

The other decision is to not look, not notice… not pay attention… not discern. It might be easier… but our “love will not grow (abound, overflow) into knowledge and insight” and we will not be able to discern what is best” (1:10). Another version says, ‘to know what really matters.’

“O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.” Jesus