That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him: "Ask. What should I give you?" And Solomon said to God: "You have shown great faithful love to my father David, and You have made me king in his place. LORD God, let Your promise to my father David now come true. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Now, grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of Yours?" (2 Chronicles 1:7-10) Holman Christian Study Bible
Tradition says the wisest person on the Bible's pages was King Solomon, son of David. When he ascended to his father's throne, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a vision and said, Ask. What should I give you?.
What a wide-open question! Many of us read Aladdin's Lamp as children. At some point each of us figured a way to outsmart the genie. "You have three wishes," the genie told Aladdin. Had we been in the boy's place, we thought, our third wish would have been for a million more wishes.
Solomon, it seems, was in a similar once-in-a-lifetime situation. God appeared to him with a blank check. Ask. What should I give you? And what did he choose? Wealth? Fame? What purpose would that have served? He already possessed those things. Romance? Solomon had enough of that for a thousand lifetimes.
He considered what he needed to accomplish his purpose in life. What did he need most to rule effectively, to lead Israel to new heights, to construct his father's dream of a temple and to insure the political and economic future of his nation? Solomon answered the Lord, Now, grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of Yours?
Solomon’s request for wisdom was an indication that he was already rather wise. History reveals that God granted his request. In fact, in 1 Kings it says that the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom. Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:34)
Can you imagine being so wise that the entire known world seeks your presence? What must it be like to know what to do in almost any given situation? To understand right from wrong in the gray areas of life? To be able to discern the spirits of men and their motives?
You cannot consider wisdom without a look at the book of Proverbs. It was written by Solomon to declares the power and necessity of wisdom. In his writings he consistently calls on men to seek wisdom which acknowledges that it is not something man will have naturally. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10) Knowing God brings wisdom. He is the source.
The good news is that wisdom was not reserved just for Solomon. There is more than enough to go around just as there is enough of God to go around. You and I can have a share, as well. We can be intelligent, regardless of I.Q. or diplomas or any of the other ways in which wisdom is ordinarily measured. In your prayer today, ask God for wisdom and then seek to know Him better.
Scripture to Claim:
...if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:4-6)
