"Liken Them Unto Us"

      There is scripture counsel that says we should "liken them unto us"! In other words, as we study the scriptures we should try to see how we can apply them in our own lives. I shared part of one today with family and friends that really made me  think about that. It is from II Chronicles 1:10: "Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?" This was Solomon's request when he became king and, of course, the Lord blessed him according to his heart's desire and then some. But as I read that today it hit me as to how much we all need to gain wisdom and knowledge here on this earth. After all that is partly why we are here on earth. 

     But also, Solomon's request for these qualities in his prayers pleased the Lord because he did not ask for "riches, wealth, or honour, nor for the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life;"! So the Lord granted him the desire of his heart because he asked for them for a very honorable and good reason, in order to judge wisely and fairly the people he ruled over. And, yet, the Lord did bless him with many of those other things he did not ask for. 

     And how does this apply to us? We aren't royalty! We aren't judges! We are just people trying to make it through life! It applies to us in many ways, as it did to Solomon, although we are not rulers of others but of ourselves!!!  And we do need all the wisdom and knowledge we can gain to become the people God wants us to be. And there are times we do have to judge; not necessarily other people, BUT the situations and/or circumstances they are in! As well as the situations and/or circumstances we are in. One way to put that is that we need to love people for who they are: children of our Heavenly Parents making them our brothers and sisters! We need to accept them as such. But we do not need to accept all of their choices and the things they do. There are various scriptures that tell us to judge righteously. And, yes, there are also the scriptures that say "with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged".  Seems plain enough to tell us that we need to judge in order to save ourselves from joining in with the making of wrong choices, BUT not to condemn the person! 

     I could go on, but I hope I have said enough to help you stop and think about gaining wisdom and knowledge especially before judging others and ourselves. And may we do so with a pure and clean heart filled with the love of Christ for ourselves and others!!!