Solomon Asks for Wisdom
It's remarkable that Solomon asks God for such a thing given he could have anything he wanted. From an Arminian perspective one could say that Solomon chose to ask for wisdom out of the willingness or astuteness of both heart and mind; it was his remarkable and ingenious decision to do so. On the other hand, from a Calvinist perspective one would argue that God needed to motivate or even will Solomon to ask for wisdom due to his sin-tainted human nature; after all, the relative success of Solomon's reign would determine future events such as the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. What's my point in mentioning this? Is it:
a) Nothing really, I just wanted to muse on how the two seemingly opposed doctrinal stances would view this situation.
or
b) Thinking about this made me think more about how sometimes we get caught up in the moment of life. We often choose what's best for us, not thinking about how these decisions will affect the future. It is often prudent to stop and think how our choices will affect generations to come.
answer: it turns out that it's actually a mixture of both
But aside from focusing on Solomon's request, I newly thought about the significance of both man's weakness and the magnitude of God's tasks. Upon receiving the kingdom, Solomon rightly understood that the task of governing an entire nation was nothing less than monumental. Though he had successfully squelched a coup, he noticed various weak points in the nation. The people were still prone to idol worship (sacrificing at the high places; an artifact carried over from the wicked days of the period of the Judges), there were also military threats from surrounding nations and to cap it all off, Solomon was still relatively young, flawed and inexperienced at this juncture of his service. However his feebleness was revealed to him, he responded by asking God for help. This is a display of remarkable humility.
We often choose to take matters into our own hands. But if we think about it, especially the fact that we don't live our lives in a vacuum (that others depend on us and are affected by our decisions) we realized that we are often short-sighted and unable to live rightly without external help. Becoming a husband and then father has painfully brought to my attention my shortcomings. I realize that if the lives of two complex human beings hinge on my decisions, then I had better desperately ask someone for help. God has graciously provided wisdom thus far and will continue to do so as I humble myself and ask him for it (James 1:5). But it's not easy to do this. Because of our flawed past in Adam, we tend to be spiritually myopic and lose sight of both 1) our frailty or human limitations and 2) the magnitude of God's tasks. So Solomon is a good case study of one who realized both of these aspects of his present reality and thus humbly sought God for his help.
Maybe some of us will never become president, governor or mayor, but wherever we are at, God has assigned to us various tasks. Since we are relational and communal beings, our tasks are always intertwined with the well-being of those around us. God gave Solomon wisdom, because God loved his people and wanted them to be shepherded and guided towards Him. My question is (and I've asked myself this as of late) is what work has God given you to do and whose lives does it affect? Have you seen the reality of the task at hand and asked God for wisdom as to how to engage it?
On a final note, Solomon displays his God-given wisdom through the astute adjudication of the baby mamma drama dilemma. I'd have to say that his method was quite wise indeed. Taking a page from Solomon's notes, in the distant future, a would-be judge applies similar wisdom to a situation concerning some precious property (skip to the 1 minute mark to cut to the chase):
It's remarkable that Solomon asks God for such a thing given he could have anything he wanted. From an Arminian perspective one could say that Solomon chose to ask for wisdom out of the willingness or astuteness of both heart and mind; it was his remarkable and ingenious decision to do so. On the other hand, from a Calvinist perspective one would argue that God needed to motivate or even will Solomon to ask for wisdom due to his sin-tainted human nature; after all, the relative success of Solomon's reign would determine future events such as the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. What's my point in mentioning this? Is it:
a) Nothing really, I just wanted to muse on how the two seemingly opposed doctrinal stances would view this situation.
or
b) Thinking about this made me think more about how sometimes we get caught up in the moment of life. We often choose what's best for us, not thinking about how these decisions will affect the future. It is often prudent to stop and think how our choices will affect generations to come.
answer: it turns out that it's actually a mixture of both
But aside from focusing on Solomon's request, I newly thought about the significance of both man's weakness and the magnitude of God's tasks. Upon receiving the kingdom, Solomon rightly understood that the task of governing an entire nation was nothing less than monumental. Though he had successfully squelched a coup, he noticed various weak points in the nation. The people were still prone to idol worship (sacrificing at the high places; an artifact carried over from the wicked days of the period of the Judges), there were also military threats from surrounding nations and to cap it all off, Solomon was still relatively young, flawed and inexperienced at this juncture of his service. However his feebleness was revealed to him, he responded by asking God for help. This is a display of remarkable humility.
We often choose to take matters into our own hands. But if we think about it, especially the fact that we don't live our lives in a vacuum (that others depend on us and are affected by our decisions) we realized that we are often short-sighted and unable to live rightly without external help. Becoming a husband and then father has painfully brought to my attention my shortcomings. I realize that if the lives of two complex human beings hinge on my decisions, then I had better desperately ask someone for help. God has graciously provided wisdom thus far and will continue to do so as I humble myself and ask him for it (James 1:5). But it's not easy to do this. Because of our flawed past in Adam, we tend to be spiritually myopic and lose sight of both 1) our frailty or human limitations and 2) the magnitude of God's tasks. So Solomon is a good case study of one who realized both of these aspects of his present reality and thus humbly sought God for his help.
Maybe some of us will never become president, governor or mayor, but wherever we are at, God has assigned to us various tasks. Since we are relational and communal beings, our tasks are always intertwined with the well-being of those around us. God gave Solomon wisdom, because God loved his people and wanted them to be shepherded and guided towards Him. My question is (and I've asked myself this as of late) is what work has God given you to do and whose lives does it affect? Have you seen the reality of the task at hand and asked God for wisdom as to how to engage it?
On a final note, Solomon displays his God-given wisdom through the astute adjudication of the baby mamma drama dilemma. I'd have to say that his method was quite wise indeed. Taking a page from Solomon's notes, in the distant future, a would-be judge applies similar wisdom to a situation concerning some precious property (skip to the 1 minute mark to cut to the chase):
King Solomon had wisdom to begin with, God had already given him wisdom as a character trait because after becoming king, he wisely surrounded himself with trusted friends and eliminated threats and wickedness from his kingdom. Also, the very fact that he asked God for wisdom and not other possessions is a wise request.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that God gives us wonderful character traits and talents when he created us and if we use them in accordance with His will and in good heart, He will reward us. Of course I do not imagine inheriting a kingdom and having gold on my cieling, but I will enjoy life if I use my talents for His glory. I will be happy, even in hardship.