Thoughts on an Understanding Heart

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 1 Kings 3:9

             “If the Lord was pleased because of that which Solomon had asked of him, surely he would be pleased with each of us if we had the desire to acquire an understanding heart. This must come from conscious effort coupled with faith and firm determination. An understanding heart results from the experiences we have in life if we keep the commandments of God…

“The ills of the world would be cured by understanding. Wars would cease and crime disappear. The scientific knowledge now being wasted in the world because of the distrust of men and nations could be diverted to bless mankind…

“We need more understanding in our relationships with one another, in business and in industry, between management and labor, between government and the governed. We need understanding in that most important of all social units, the family; understanding between children and parents and between husband and wife. Marriage would bring happiness, and divorce would be unknown if there were understanding hearts. Hatred tears down, but understanding builds up.

“ Our prayer could well be as was Solomon’s, ‘Lord, give me an understanding heart.” -Howard W Hunter, Conference Report, Apr 1962, pp 75-76

A prophet of the Lord, President Hunter, gives us the equation for an "understanding heart." If "a" is empathy which comes from wisdom, experience, humility, knowledge, compassion, etc and "b" is being a disciple of Christ (i.e. keeping His commandments, coming "from conscious effort coupled with faith and determination"), then "c" is not just possessing an understanding heart but doing and/or serving.

Something to ponder: Our CES instructor noted that "a" would never equal "c" without "b" added to "a."