Wisdom Comes From God; Ask Him For It
Now two prostitutes came to the king . . . One of them said . . . "This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby.
. . . "During the night, this woman's son died because she lay on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep.
. . . and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son -- and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne.”
The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours."
. . . Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order; "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."
The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him." But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"
Then the king gave this ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."
When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. I Kings 3:16-28.
. . . "During the night, this woman's son died because she lay on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep.
. . . and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son -- and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne.”
The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours."
. . . Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order; "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."
The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him." But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"
Then the king gave this ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."
When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. I Kings 3:16-28.
God promised to give Solomon wisdom to rule His people and He did. Those were days when paternity and maternity could not be determined with a DNA test. So how in the world was the truth going to be determined in this very difficult case? It would take more than mere human reasoning. Divine insight and wisdom were needed.
Certain things are worth pondering over:
First, the heart of man can be desperately wicked. Out of jealousy, the prostitute whose child had died would rather watch her rival's child put to death than be given to the real mother. She was determined that her rival would not "prosper over her." She did not wish her well.
Question: Are you genuinely desirous to see your "rivals" blessed when things are not going well for you? Do you wish destruction upon their lives and their blessings?
Second: The profound ruling given by Solomon could only have happened because of the divine wisdom God gave him. The truth is we each need an infusion of divine wisdom in our daily lives. Wisdom is what enables us to make the right choices and decisions in this very sinful and complex world. Godly wisdom causes people to stand in awe of God and of us His children.
May your life be overshadowed by Divine Wisdom. May the complex be unraveled before you because of divine wisdom. May God grant you wisdom to guide your family, your ministry, your finances, and your business interests. May God grant you wisdom to deal with your enemies.
God promises to give us wisdom when we ask it of Him. (James 1:5).
Wisdom comes from God. You need it. Ask God for it.
Certain things are worth pondering over:
First, the heart of man can be desperately wicked. Out of jealousy, the prostitute whose child had died would rather watch her rival's child put to death than be given to the real mother. She was determined that her rival would not "prosper over her." She did not wish her well.
Question: Are you genuinely desirous to see your "rivals" blessed when things are not going well for you? Do you wish destruction upon their lives and their blessings?
Second: The profound ruling given by Solomon could only have happened because of the divine wisdom God gave him. The truth is we each need an infusion of divine wisdom in our daily lives. Wisdom is what enables us to make the right choices and decisions in this very sinful and complex world. Godly wisdom causes people to stand in awe of God and of us His children.
May your life be overshadowed by Divine Wisdom. May the complex be unraveled before you because of divine wisdom. May God grant you wisdom to guide your family, your ministry, your finances, and your business interests. May God grant you wisdom to deal with your enemies.
God promises to give us wisdom when we ask it of Him. (James 1:5).
Wisdom comes from God. You need it. Ask God for it.
Prayer: Lord, we live in an increasingly complex, sinful and litigious world. Please give me wisdom to live to please you in all I do and say. Amen.