Well, the first verse of our Old Testament scripture reading is a real downer because it tells us of David’s death. We have been spending a full summer exploring this one man’s life. I hope that we have learned a lot from this incredible man of faith. He wasn’t perfect by any means, but he was known as man after God’s own heart.
To help remind us of what a great person of faith David was, the author of I Kings gives us a small portion of his obituary. He tells us, “The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.”
We’re going to conclude our series on the life of David by focusing today and next Sunday on Solomon, David’s son who became the new King of Israel. And right off the bat, we learn something very important about Solomon. Like his father, he too wants to be a man after God’s own heart.
While Solomon was dreaming one night, God tells him, “Ask what I should give you.” I know of a lot of people who would love God to say something like this to them. I mean, how would you respond if you heard God say this to you?
And Solomon asked God to give him wisdom. Good answer, Solomon! Very impressive! You could have asked for wealth or power or fame, but you chose wisdom.
Maybe you’ve heard the story of an angel who appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.
"Done!" says the angel and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a glowing halo of light. After a few seconds, one of his colleagues whispers, "Now that you have been given all of this wisdom, say something wise."
The dean looks intently at his colleagues gathered around him and says, "I should have taken the money."
Thankfully, I don’t think that Solomon changed his mind after he asked God to give him wisdom. Actually, I’m thinking that Solomon already had a lot of wisdom since he chose this over wealth or any other type of selfish request.
And here’s what is really impressive; we are told that he’s a child. Solomon is already showing that he is beyond his years at a very young age.
Even to this day, we sometimes use or hear the phrase “having the wisdom of Solomon.” It’s because of this story in the Old Testament. Jesus even refers to Solomon’s wisdom during his teaching on the Sermon on the Mount. The words, “Solomon” and “wisdom” are closely associated with each other.
But what kind of wisdom are we talking about? A little later in our scripture reading, we are told that the Lord will give Solomon an understanding to discern what is right. Wisdom isn’t just about how much information or knowledge we have. It’s about what we do with that knowledge.
Knowledge is important. There are some basic things we need to know to help us make good decisions in life. And so, as a new school year begins, it’s important for students to study hard, hand in assignments on time, follow directions, and be nice to the teachers. Learning can be a lot of fun.
Penny tells the story of one of her first years in teaching. She was a first-grade teacher at the time. She asked the class what was the capital of Mexico which is Mexico City. One of her eager first graders raised her hand and with a grin on her face said, “The letter, ‘M’ is the capital of Mexico.”
Now that I think about it, I know all the capitals too! Learning is meant to be fun.
Penny also shared with me of something very simple that parents can do to help their children learn. Research shows that if you read to your child even just fifteen minutes a day throughout the school year, they will vastly expand their vocabulary. And you will have a stronger bond with your child. It’s a double win by simply reading to your child at least fifteen minutes a day.
Reading is a great way for all of us to grow in wisdom and understanding. Our faith is meant to be a learning faith where we read, study, and meditate on the scriptures.
When seeking to have a learning faith, it’s not just about taking in knowledge and memorizing some bible verses. Wisdom is so much more.
Here are some things to help us in having a learning faith when reading the Bible. The first thing is to be aware of our own assumptions about what we think any bible verse or passage in the Bible means. Just be aware of those assumptions that we all have.
The second thing is to try to understand what the Bible meant to the original listeners. We need to understand the historical context of when it was first told. It’s also helpful when we know what kind of literature it is. Is it a historical event? Is it a parable? Is it a letter?
And here’s the really, really challenging part in all of this. Wisdom is really about trying to take those first two things and then figure out what that passage of scripture means in our day and age and the particular context in which we live. And this requires a lot of prayer and thoughtfulness.
A long-time church member came up to me one time and said, “You know. I’m really glad that I’ve been part of this bible study. It’s made me want to know more about the Bible and now I’m reading it every day.”
I think about Jesus and how immersed he was in the scriptures. As a faithful Jew in the first century, Jesus was able to use his incredible knowledge of the scriptures to help people understand how God had sent him to be the one who would bring salvation to the world. And the more that we are able to know the stories of the bible, the more that we are going to understand who Jesus is.
For example, in today’s Gospel reading where Jesus is teaching and telling the crowd that he is “The living bread that has come down from heaven and whoever eats of this bread will live forever,” he’s referring to the Old Testament story of how God provided bread or manna to the people of Israel when they were starving in the wilderness. Knowing the Old Testament helps us to understand the New Testament.
I love when I’m part of a bible study and someone’s eyes light up when they learn something new about their faith. There is so much more that I have to learn about the bible. Many times, it’s somebody’s comment or insight that helps me to see the scripture in a new way.
There’s no doubt that knowledge is an important part of what it means to be wise. We need to know the biblical stories, we need to be aware of the world around us, and we need to be as informed as possible. Let’s encourage each other to keep learning and discovering new things about our faith. That’s an important part of wisdom.
In addition to information and content, wisdom is also about discernment and how we use the knowledge that we have. That’s really the key in being people who are wise. We can have all of the knowledge in the world, but unless we use that knowledge in wise and loving ways, it really doesn’t mean a whole lot. St. Augustine from the 4th century said that all true learning starts with love.
This is why I am so impressed with Solomon’s answer. He didn’t just want God to give him knowledge. In verse 9 of our scripture reading, Solomon tells God, “Give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil.”
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be good stewards of all of the gifts that God has given us which include our finances, our possessions, our gifts, our talents, our relationships, and our minds. Part of being a good steward with our minds is to allow God to help us to do the most loving and wise thing when faced with a complicated situation.
I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times when I’ve been in church meetings and just when it seemed like there were no good answers or solutions to something we were facing, some very wise person came up with just the right idea.
Someone shared with me about a difficult situation he was facing at work. He was dealing with a customer who was very angry and upset at something that really wasn’t this person’s fault.
Even though he said he was so tempted to get into an argument, he kept calm and didn’t lose his temper. The situation ended up getting resolved. God gave this church member the strength to be wise and discerning in that situation.
Life isn’t easy. We all face what seem to be impossible situations. We don’t always know which direction to take or how to approach things. Yogi Berra, the famous baseball player known for his quotes once said. “When you come to a fork in road, just take it.” If it was only that simple!
I’m pretty sure that there are many of us here today who have come to a fork in the road. You’re facing a complex situation and it’s difficult to know what the right thing is to do. It might be a financial decision or a medical decision or a relationship decision or some other kind of difficult decision that is causing sleepless nights and a lot of anxiety.
Who knows, maybe young Solomon was having one of those tossing and turning nights as he was anxious about being the new King of Israel following his father’s death. And in the middle of the night, God gave Solomon just what he needed, an understanding mind.
No wonder the Psalmist says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It’s when we go to the Lord in prayer that we receive the wisdom and the guidance we need.
I sense that there are many of us here today, who like Solomon, are in need of God’s wisdom. I believe that prayer is an important way for us to receive the wisdom and the guidance that God so much wants to give to us. As you feel led, I invite you right where you’re seated to bow your heads for a time of prayer.
I don’t know what people might be facing.
Maybe it’s a relationship issue that has them tied up in knots. Or a financial problem and they don’t know where to turn. Or someone may be worried about finding a job or how to handle a situation at work. Or maybe a student who is worried about the new school. We all face times when we are faced with decisions and complex situations.
Whatever it is, God invites us in these next few moments to ask for wisdom and discernment in trusting in God to find our way forward. Let’s just take a minute in silence and listen for God’s voice. And then I’ll close our time together with a prayer.
(Praying in Silence)
As we continue in prayer, one of the prayers that I turn to whenever I feel lost and in need of God’s wisdom and guidance is the one I’m about to offer now. May it be a blessing to you and may we all seek God’s wisdom, like Solomon.
“O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
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