If a genie popped out of a lamp and gave you one wish, what would you ask for?
Money? A long life? Revenge on your enemies? And of course, the smart-aleck answer: “More wishes!”
King Solomon got that exact offer. Except it wasn’t a genie. It was God.
Solomon was young, and he had just inherited the throne from his famous father, King David. One night, God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
Whatever. You. Want.
Solomon didn’t ask for gold. He didn’t ask for a long life. He didn’t ask for victory over his enemies. Instead, he said, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”
God was so pleased with the answer that He gave Solomon wisdom AND riches AND honor. Talk about a bonus.
It didn’t take long for Solomon’s wisdom to be tested. Two women came before him, both claiming the same baby. No witnesses. No DNA tests. Just two mothers, one baby, and a very difficult decision.
So Solomon called for a sword: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
One woman said, “Fine.” The other cried out, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” And right then, Solomon knew who the real mother was.
Remember the Pray 4·40 motto? Be careful what you ask for. You just may get it.
Solomon asked for the right thing.
And here’s the good news. You don’t need a dream or a genie to get the same offer. God says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.” That’s it. Just ask.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank-you for the wisdom You give so generously to all who ask. Thank-you for giving me the discerning heart of Solomon, so that I can tell right from wrong and make good decisions every day. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Wikipedia: Solomon, Judgment of Solomon, Book of Proverbs
Look-It Up:
The story of Solomon’s request is told in 1 Kings 3:5-28.
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Free Bonus:
Solomon is credited with speaking 3,000 proverbs and writing 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32). Many of them are collected in the book of Proverbs.
Today, a wise and fair decision between two parties is sometimes called a “Solomonic” decision.
Solomon’s wisdom was so famous that the Queen of Sheba traveled all the way to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions (1 Kings 10). She left impressed.
Even the wisest man in the world had to keep choosing wisdom. Late in life, Solomon’s many foreign wives turned his heart toward other gods (1 Kings 11:4). Wisdom isn’t something you get once. It’s something you ask for every day.