Solomon: A Wise Man with Bad Decisions
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
-1 Kings 3:10-14
Solomon asked for wisdom. God was pleased with him and his request. But Solomon’s wisdom didn’t always land him in the right places. The book of Proverbs is attributed to Solomon. It was thought that anything wise, must have come from him originally. The Song of Solomon tells of his thirst for love, rather than wisdom. It is a beautiful poem reminding us that love is overwhelming. Solomon experienced love to the fullest, with his 700 wives and 300 concubines. He spared no expense in their care and housing, either. When they desired to worship the gods of their fathers from foreign lands, Solomon was quite accommodating.
Solomon’s building program included the temple, a formidable tower of worship which took 7 years to complete; his palaces which took 13 years to build; and several other lesser temples and worship spaces for the gods of his wives. He put up expensive altars to Ashtoreth of the Sidonians, Milcom of the Ammonites, and Chemoth of the Moabites, to name just a few. God was so angry with Solomon that it was only for the sake of his father, David, that God didn’t destroy him right then and there. As it was, Solomon was the last of the kings of Israel with a united kingdom. His sons split the country after his 40 year reign, never to reunite.
It’s difficult to see wise people make decisions that seem inconsistent or unwise in our eyes. How often do WE make decisions based not on our own morality or thoughtfulness, but on the influence of an outside opinion? We can be easily swayed by popular opinion or news outlets trying to sell their product of fear and outrage. May we walk in obedience to God and keep His decrees as David did, rather than give in to the voices around us.
This week’s question: When have I been influenced by the wrong voices?
O God, grant us the faith of Solomon’s prayer: the faith that calls the temple not by the builder’s name but by your name; the faith that looks not within the temple but beyond for your dwelling place; the faith that longs for the temple to become a house of prayer—not for one people but for all the peoples of the earth. Forgive us, for the things we have done and the things we have left undone; for neglecting to love our neighbor as ourselves. O God, you have made us in your image. Forgive us for remaking the world in ours. You have made Christ the church’s one foundation. Forgive us for trying to build it on another. Transform us, O Lord. Grant us the grace to represent the Christ you have sent that the world might receive your glorious gospel and worship your holy name. Amen.
