Solomon - Heart of Wisdom

If God came to you and said, “ask Me, . . . what shall I give you?”, or “what do you want?”, what would you say?  The request sounds a little (or a lot) like the genie of a lamp who has the ability to grant three wishes.  What would be the first thing that comes to your mind (after it passed through your heart)?  The God of the universe comes to you and offers a “blank check” to be used in whatever way you designated on the memo line.  He’s got infinite power, right?  He can do anything, right?  What would you ask for?  I think most of us in that situation, if we were honest, would ask for something that would benefit us.  Do you think there is any possibility that you might ask for something that would benefit others and not yourself?  Probably not!  Solomon was king David’s son and the 3^rd king of Israel.  At the very beginning of Solomon’s reign God asks him this exact question.  Let’s see how Solomon answers . . .

READ:  1 Kings 3:3-15

WISDOM is a quality that God is PLEASED to give!  This story in the Bible made a significant impression on me when I was growing up.  For me, this story of Solomon asking for wisdom gave me a glimpse into what pleases God (vs 10).  As a result of this story, I remember praying often for “wisdom”.  I don’t remember having an ulterior motive, but maybe I thought that if I asked for something noble like wisdom, God would ALSO give me riches, honor, and long life.  No matter, God was pleased that Solomon desired and asked for wisdom, therefore, it is a characteristic worthy of our pursuit as well. What do we learn about wisdom from Solomon’s answer?  How do we know if we possess wisdom?

1.  Wisdom is OTHER-focused (vs 9) – Solomon started his reign well.  Rather than be a king that would “take” (1 Sam. 8), he knew that being king meant taking care of the people whom he was given responsibility. King Solomon correctly viewed himself as being a steward of GOD’S people.  Being king was not a position to be used for personal ambition but for the betterment of each and every one of those in the kingdom entrusted to him.  Whatever relational position we find ourselves, we must use wisdom and see it as one of stewardship.  God has entrusted us with people in our lives that we are responsible for their spiritual livelihood.  A wise person will always have the care and concern for the needs of others within our sphere of influence.

2.  Wisdom is the ability to discern between what is GOOD and EVIL or what is RIGHT and WRONG (vs 9, 11) – In most cases, discerning good from evil is not a difficult thing to do.  Moral discernment becomes more difficult when we have to make a choice between what is good, what is better, and what is best (especially when there are a number of variables and opinions).  Doing the “right” thing in any situation is a burdensome task that takes a heart and mind that are “in sync” with God.  And often making that good/right choice demands the boldness to stand up when everyone else is sitting down, to speak up when everyone else is silent, and show up when everyone else absent.  A wise person will always choose the good and right thing no matter what the cost.

3.  Wisdom is not SELF-focused (vs 11) – For Solomon to have asked God for long life, riches, or victory over his enemies would have been requests on behalf of . . . HIMSELF.  Self-indulgence and self-preservation are common temptations for all of us as we engage in relationships whether we are in a position of authority or not.  As we relate with others we need to use wisdom and not use our relationships for our own selfish purposes.  Caring for our own wants and needs at the expense of others is not wisdom.  A wise person will always remove their own needs and wants from the equation when relating with others.

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ is the ultimate wise and knowledgeable King (1 Cor 1:18-31).  He was always putting His own needs to the side and living His life for the benefit of others (Phil. 2:3-10).  Although He was tempted in every way, He knew the difference between good and evil and applied wisdom to making decisions in His life.  In His divine wisdom, Jesus gave up his own life by dying on the cross for our benefit in order that we might be saved!