Somewhere In Between

Proverbs 18:17
¹⁷ The first to present his case seems right,
   till another comes forward and questions him.

Have you ever heard one person's side of a story and it made sense to you? If there was anyone else involved, did you hear their side? As King Solomon asked God for wisdom, God obliged him and provided him with wisdom to rule over what was once his father's land. As a king, many challenges and disputes were brought before Solomon. He needed God's wisdom in order to present a solution. One of the challenges was hearing versions of stories and determining not just right and wrong but how to rectify. The lesson God presented to Solomon we ought to take into account ourselves. Have you ever heard the saying,"there's her story, his story and the real story which lies somewhere in between"? A person's story is their historical account of what took place. But within that we must understand that each person's perception and filters will alter a story. According to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, perception is defined as:

1a : a result of perceiving : observation (see perceive) b : a mental image : concept

2obsolete : consciousness

3a : awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation perception> b : physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience

4a : quick, acute, and intuitive cognition : appreciation b : a capacity for comprehension

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines filter as:

1a : a porous article or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out matter in suspension b : an apparatus containing a filter medium

2a : a device or material for suppressing or minimizing waves or oscillations of certain frequencies (as of electricity, light, or sound) b : a transparent material (as colored glass) that absorbs light of certain wavelengths or colors selectively and is used for modifying light that reaches a sensitized photographic material —called also color filter

3: something that has the effect of a filter (as by holding back elements or modifying the appearance of something) filter of race — Brent Staples>

4: software for sorting or blocking access to certain online material

Ultimately, a person's experiences and views are used as filters to tell their story so often the story will seem exact and it may be exact in their mind. But one who gives another version of the story may also be telling the story as it seems exact to them. So a king or one that is asked to present a solution must sort through one's perception and actually determine that what happened, may be somewhere in between. The one with all the answers to the pertinent questions is God. For he is the one that knows the facts so seeking his wisdom on what questions to ask and what answers to look for is always best. He sees the real story.