#152 Solomon's Wisdom

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. - Proverbs 3:13

Text: 1 Kings 3:5-12; James 1:5

Prop: a dictionary

Summary: Solomon was given great wisdom because he asked humbly to know right from wrong.

I know some of you are learning how to spell words in school. Have you ever been in a Spelling Bee contest to see who could spell the most words? [Listen to answers.] I have even watched that TV show called "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?" and struggled to answer the questions. This dictionary [show dictionary] has the correct way to spell many words. It is a wealth of knowledge if you want to know how to spell words. Let me ask you to spell the word "Bible." [Listen to answers.] Yes, you answered correctly. The Bible is a wealth of knowledge if you want to gain wisdom. That reminds me of a story in the Bible about the wisest man in the world.

[Read 1 Kings 3:5-12.]

Solomon was the new king of Israel around 1000 B.C. He was young and did not even know all the things a king was expected to know. He realized he had a great responsibility and was humble to ask God for the wisdom to be a great leader of the people. He did not ask to be smart. He asked to be wise. If you are smart you know a lot of things. If you are wise you know what is right and wrong and how to use what you know. It pleased God that he did not ask for long life or riches or fame or to harm his enemies. So God told him he would give him wisdom like no other person before him or after him.

Two books of the Bible, Proverbs and Song of Solomon, are what remain of Solomon's wisdom. The Bible says that Solomon told 3000 proverbs and had 1005 songs (1 Kings 4:32). Solomon was a great builder too. He built the great Temple in Jerusalem, but it was destroyed in 587 B.C. Jesus walked along Solomon's portico (porch) and was in the family line (descendant) of Solomon. (see #145 Walking with Jesus) Solomon's name means "his peace" and Psalm 72 is about his ceremony of being given the king's crown (coronation, another big word). (see #137 New World Order) Our Lord Jesus even taught us not to worry in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:29) when he said the lilies of the field did not sew or work, yet "even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

[Read James 1:5] The Bible tells us if we want wisdom we should ask God in faith for it. Remember that all wisdom comes from God, and if we want to be wise, all we have to do is to humbly ask God for it.

Let us pray: Dear Lord Jesus, help me to learn to be wise and to know what is right and wrong. Amen.

©2008 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.

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