(for The Simple Way women–I’m sorry to miss you!)

1 Kings 3:5-12 (NRSV)

^“5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ ⁶And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. ⁷And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.”

Solomon ended up being the last ruler of the undivided kingdom of Israel, he had a wandering eye (to put it very, very mildly), but as a young man, he had his head on straight, and because of his humility, he is still remembered today as the wisest man who ever lived.

May we follow in Solomon’s footsteps, being bold enough to ask God for things we want and need, and being humble enough to ask God for wisdom and discernment to help us to live faithfully.

For a fun Solomon/wisdom story, check out 1 Kings 3:16-28 🙂