But solid food belongs to the mature … those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The writer to the Hebrews in this quote from Hebrews 5:14 is comparing those who still need the milk of the Word with the mature believer. And part of what he is saying, is that the ability to discern between good and evil is not independent of our behaviour. A similar connection is made between the Greek word for hear which in meaning, is closely related to obedience.

This in turn, is closely related to our tendency to rationalize. It has been said for example, that if we want to do something, then we will find a thousand reasons to do it. On the other hand if we don’t want to do the very same thing, then we will likely find a thousand reasons not to do it. Another way to put this, is to say all this is that our behaviour, our choices, affect our understanding. In particular, it affects our values and our understanding of what is right and wrong.

Jordan Peterson, who is an interesting Canadian psychology professor, says that if you want your life to be better, then the way to start, is to stop doing the things that you know are wrong, and to start doing the things that you know are right. He’s not saying we need to conform to somebody else’s value system, he is saying that we need to conform to our own!

Father, You have rightly told us in Your Word, that our hearts, the seat of the will and the emotion, are extremely deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). And so again this morning Lord, I ask you to search my heart to see there be any wicked way within me, and I ask You to lead me in the paths of life (Psalm 139:24) in Jesus Name Amen