Common sense is so valuable that we are told to not just beg God for it, but to beg Him for it as loud as we are able (Prov 2:3, CEV). We must passionately want common sense. However, intensely wanting it and asking for it are not enough because it comes to those who have a deep reverence for the Lord. It is given, bit by bit, to those who trust Him completely and keep trusting Him completely (Prov 3:4-5, CJB). We are to be trained in common sense (Ps 119:66, Message). All this implies that the common sense, which the Lord gives to His faithful people, is a different kind of common sense from what would be viewed as common sense by those who are don’t trust Him completely. Not surprisingly, then, worldly Festus responds to the apostle Paul’s discussion about Christ by accusing Paul of not having any common sense (Acts 26:24, Berkeley note).
The lack of godly common sense is destructive (Prov 21:16, CW) and leads to unnecessary problems in life (Gal 3:1, Barclay). On the other hand, the exercise of God’s kind of common sense leads to grace (Prov 13:15, CJB) and results in God’s blessing (Prov 3:13, CEV). Godly common sense also provides us with quiet and knowledge (Prov 14:17-18, BB), preservation (Prov 11:9, Message), commendation (Prov 12:8, Berkeley), and an ability to be dependable enough to be promoted to greater service (Lk 12:42, Message). We become reliable because we are committed to the Lord and His common sense helps us more accurately understand His will (Ps 119:125, LB).
If we are not trusting God completely, with deep reverence, we should be cautious about the decisions we are considering. If we lack deep reverence for the Lord, we should also be careful about the criticisms we might make of those who are doing their best to trust Him fully. We should most earnestly seek for His common sense.
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.