Wisdom of Solomon

Sound Bites

Posted on by Betsy

 “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” This famous line by President John F. Kennedy is a memorable “bite” from a longer speech that has since been forgotten. Known since the mid-70s as “sound bites,” phrases like this have been used in media, politics, and marketing to get a central idea across in a brief snippet of recorded speech. Sound bites are short, catchy, and memorable, and speech writers and marketing executives strive hard nowadays to construct the perfect sound bite for their clients, knowing that it will be repeated over and over. If you remember a time when phrases like “Where’s the Beef?” and “Just Do It!” dominated the airwaves, you understand the power of the sound bite in marketing.

Sound bites have been around for centuries, when you think about it. What are the Proverbs if not catchy, brief, little snippets of information created to leave a memorable piece of practical wisdom with the reader? Proverbs is a collection of statements offered without much context for the purpose of instruction, understanding, and wisdom. These life lessons were designed to help people mature in their wisdom. Note that wisdom does not equal knowledge here; knowledge is the collection of facts, whereas wisdom is the correct use of what we have learned for daily living.

Proverbs 1:1-7 (Common English Bible)

The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel:
2 Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline,
    to help one understand wise sayings.
3 They provide insightful instruction,
    which is righteous, just, and full of integrity.
4 They make the naive mature,
    the young knowledgeable and discreet.

5 The wise hear them and grow in wisdom;
    those with understanding gain guidance.
6 They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings,
    the words of the wise, and their puzzles.

7 Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Having established what wisdom is, let us consider the origin of wisdom. The writer of this proverb clearly states that God is the beginning of all wisdom. Verse 7 reminds us that “wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Don’t stumble over the word “fear”. We understand this not to mean being terrified or afraid, but rather to be a response of proper, humble reverence that we owe God. Fearing the Lord keeps us in a position of worshipping and respectful awe, which is the best way to be when you are being taught or instructed about life lessons.

Those who seek and receive wisdom are in direct contrast to the fools who despise it. The choice is clear to all of us: will you be wise, or will you be foolish?

Growing in wisdom is a life goal for every follower. Learning never ends! When we study Scripture and allow its tenets to make us knowledgeable and discreet in our youth and mature in our naivety, we become people who can be useful in the building of the kingdom. Insightful instruction is righteous, just, and full of integrity (verse 3).

As we seek to grow closer in our relationship with God, may we choose wisdom over foolishness every day.

Growing in Wisdom by Kathy Schumacher

Brightness Shines Forth

Posted on by Betsy

We continue our journey into wisdom literature with a deep dive into the Old Testament book of the Wisdom of Solomon. Biblegateway.com offers this introduction to this unique book:

One of the main lessons of Wisdom of Solomon is that retribution and reward are not necessarily received in the present life but are to be realized in the afterlife of the immortal soul. The Encyclopedia of the Bible says the book teaches that immortality, not material abundance, is the goal of the righteous, and one of the author’s contributions was the inauguration of an “other-worldly” perspective hitherto lacking in Judaism. The author also taught that individual righteousness is requisite for the enjoyment of blessing in the after-life of the soul.

Chapter 7 is probably one of the most exquisite examples of poetry in all of the Old Testament. In this passage, wisdom is again personified as a woman with special qualities. As you read it, try to make a word-picture in your mind. For those of us who are blessed to live on the coast, the images of bright suns, the arrangement of the stars, and the night following day speak directly to where we live.

What images do you see as you read this?

Wisdom of Solomon 7 (Common English Bible)

26 She’s the brightness that shines forth from eternal light. She’s a mirror that flawlessly reflects God’s activity. She’s the perfect image of God’s goodness. 27 She can do anything, since she’s one and undivided. She never changes, and yet she makes everything new. Generation after generation, she enters souls and shapes them into God’s friends and prophets.

There was no concept of the Holy Spirit at the time of this writing. It is easy for New Testament readers to make a connection between wisdom ”entering souls and shaping them into God’s friends and prophets” and the pentecostal power of the Holy Spirit coming to the disciples. Perhaps we can view this as a precursor to what Jesus left behind as he was departing the earth.

28 God doesn’t love anything as much as people who make their home with Wisdom. 29 She’s more splendid than the sun and more wonderful than the arrangement of the stars. She’s even brighter than sunlight, 30 for night follows day, but evil can never overcome Wisdom.

8 She stands strong from one end of the world to the other. She is a marvelous governor over everything in between.

Solomon held wisdom in very high esteem. I think it is important to realize that wisdom in his mind was not so much about gaining knowledge as it was attaining righteousness. That changes things. It invites us to read the scriptures not so much for information, but for transformation.

Where is God calling you to transform your life today? What changes is he asking you to make?

Wisdom never changes, but it has the ability to make everything new. May we seek her, and make our home with her. Evil can never overcome Wisdom….thanks be to God!

Sunrise Seekers by Michelle Robertson

Wisdom Speaks

Posted on by Betsy

Think of the wisest person you know. It may be a former teacher, a grandparent, or your kindergartner. People who have the ability to quickly assess a situation and thoughtfully speak truth into a subject are a blessing to know.

A wise woman once counseled me to wait at least 24 hours before responding to a hurtful comment or email. This was very hard to do at first, as my hurt feelings needed to be expressed and validated with my angry, self-righteous response…and I needed that validation right away! But I respected her and admired how she handled herself, so I made it a rule. Guess what? About 75% of the time I realized that I didn’t need to respond at all after waiting a day. The other 25% of the time I did respond, but in a much more thoughtful and considerate way than I had originally planned out in my mind (one hundred times).

I also learned that when I ignored her advice and immediately shot off my unfiltered and ill-considered response, I regretted it 100% of the time.

What is the best piece of wisdom someone has shared with you?

Our lectionary this week focuses on different variations of wisdom literature. The Old Testament book of Proverbs is known for its nuggets of good advice and wise sayings. We use the phrase “proverbial wisdom” as an homage to this collection of writings by King Solomon.

In the second half of Proverbs 1, Solomon presents wisdom as a woman who speaks loudly in the streets, but apparently nobody listens. If you’ve ever been the parent of a middle schooler, you can probably relate.

Proverbs 1 (Contemporary English Version)

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets
    wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
    as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
    being stupid fools?
Won’t you ever stop sneering
    and laughing at knowledge?
23     Listen as I correct you
    and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
    and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
    when I warned you.

The language in this passage is a little startling. Solomon is not playing around. He draws a clean line between those who are wise and those who are stupid fools. His plea is for everyone to LISTEN. Do you ever feel like God is shouting that at you sometimes? ”Listen, my child. Just be silent and LISTEN to me, and I will get you through this.” Wise people pay attention.

26 “So when you are struck
    by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
    I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
    but I won’t listen;
    you will search,
    but you won’t find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
    and you refused
    to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
    when I warned you.

Those who hear God’s command to LISTEN and refuse him do so at their own peril. When we refuse to respect the Lord, reject his advice, and pay no attention, we reap what we sow.

31 “Now you will eat the fruit
    of what you have done,
    until you are stuffed full
    with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
    to stupid fools.

But mercifully, God provides a way out. If we change our attitude and listen to him, we will be safe and secure. We need not fear:

33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
    without fear of disaster.”

So listen. What is God saying to you today?

Listen by Janet Owen

A Good Reputation

Posted on by Betsy

Do you know someone with an excellent reputation? What qualities do they have that lend to that? I have a friend whose reputation is well known in our community. When I mention his name to someone, their immediate response is, “Oh, John. He is a great guy!”

John is kind. John is fair. John is thoughtful in his speech. John is dedicated to helping people. John is faithful in his marriage. Because of his excellent reputation, John is a very successful lawyer. He is known to be honest, trustworthy, and smart. These qualities help him rise above the rest, and his success is based largely on his reputation.

The Book of Proverbs is filled with pithy little sayings about life in general. If you had to create fortune cookies based on Bible quotes, you would have more than you need in just this one book. Proverbs was written by King Solomon in an attempt to bring wisdom to the people. We are inundated with information in our culture today, but very little wisdom. These are life lessons that we need to not only follow, but to teach our children as well. Proverbs teaches us about God’s expectations of appropriate behavior for those who claim to be his children.

Proverbs 1 beautifully outlines the purpose of the book:

Purpose of Proverbs

1 The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel:
2 Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline,
    to help one understand wise sayings.
3 They provide insightful instruction,
    which is righteous, just, and full of integrity.
4 They make the naive mature,
    the young knowledgeable and discreet.
5 The wise hear them and grow in wisdom;
    those with understanding gain guidance.
6 They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings,
    the words of the wise, and their puzzles.
7 Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Today’s lectionary takes us to the 22nd chapter:

Proverbs 22 (Common English Bible)

The Value of a Good Reputation

22 A good reputation and respect
    are worth much more
    than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor
are all created
    by the Lord.

8 Troublemakers get in trouble,
    and their terrible anger
    will get them nowhere.

9 The Lord blesses everyone
    who freely gives food
    to the poor.

22 Don’t take advantage
of the poor
    or cheat them in court.
23 The Lord is their defender,
    and what you do to them,
    he will do to you.

When it comes to having a good reputation, terrible anger gets you nowhere. People should give freely to the poor, and not cheat people in court. God created everyone to be equal, rich and poor alike…so act like it.

Take a look again at the 23rd verse. It is a pretty challenging statement. God is the defender of the poor…whatever you do to harm them, God will do to you.

Do you think people would live differently if they took that to heart? More importantly for us, what change is God calling you to make today?

May we gain wisdom as we seek God’s truth in his scriptures every day, and may we learn from a king how to act like wisemen.

Wise Ones Still Seek Him by Michelle Robertson

Wisdom Seekers

Posted on by Betsy

If God appeared to you in a dream tonight and offered you ANYTHING you desired, what would you ask for? Would it be wealth? Status? Long life? Good health? The end of the pandemic? So many choices!

Solomon became king of Israel after the death of his father David, and this happened to him one night. Can you guess what he asked for?

1 Kings 3 (Common English Bible)

3 Now Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the laws of his father David, with the exception that he also sacrificed and burned incense at the shrines.

4 The king went to the great shrine at Gibeon in order to sacrifice there. He used to offer a thousand entirely burned offerings on that altar. 5 The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I’ll give it to you.”

6 Solomon responded, “You showed so much kindness to your servant my father David when he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and with a heart true to you. You’ve kept this great loyalty and kindness for him and have now given him a son to sit on his throne. 7 And now, Lord my God, you have made me, your servant, king in my father David’s place. But I’m young and inexperienced. I know next to nothing. 8 But I’m here, your servant, in the middle of the people you have chosen, a large population that can’t be numbered or counted due to its vast size. 9 Please give your servant a discerning mind in order to govern your people and to distinguish good from evil, because no one is able to govern this important people of yours without your help.”

When you think about it, it takes a smart guy to request to become a smart guy…kind of like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. His request was for a brain, yet all along the journey to Oz, he was the one who figured things out for the group. Perhaps his wisdom was evidenced by the fact that he knew his limitations and asked for help.

Merriam-Webster defines wisdom as “having the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships; having insight and good sense; and having good judgment.” These are not only important qualities for a king, but for us peasants, too.

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked for this instead of requesting long life, wealth, or victory over your enemies—asking for discernment so as to acquire good judgment— 12 I will now do just what you said. Look, I hereby give you a wise and understanding mind. There has been no one like you before now, nor will there be anyone like you afterward. 

This is a good reminder to us today that discernment and good judgment are precious to God. We are correct in asking for wisdom and doing the things necessary every day to obtain it. When we study, question, LISTEN, and open ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are wisdom-seekers who will be rewarded with God’s instruction.

13 I now also give you what you didn’t ask for: wealth and fame. There won’t be a king like you as long as you live. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my laws and commands, just as your father David did, then I will give you a very long life.”

Solomon’s wisdom-seeking resulted in receiving much more than wisdom. When we seek to be wise, God will also reward us with the wealth of a deeper relationship with him. And look at you, reading daily devotionals! May God grant us his wisdom and discernment for our efforts. Good on us!

Walk in the Light of God’s Wisdom by Kathy Schumacher

Turned Hearts

Posted on by Betsy

What tempts you away from the good things that you know you should be focusing on? Is it food, wealth, possessions, laziness, your neighbor’s spouse…the list is endless. All of us have a weakness for something we want that we know we shouldn’t have.

With Solomon, it was women. Perhaps it was wine, women, and song, but mostly it was women. (As in, over 1000 women.) He was the son of King David, who also had a weakness for women that weren’t his to enjoy. Solomon was a huge womanizer in a culture that thought little of women. His conquests were staggering, and his appetite was insatiable.

God loved Solomon and warned him about intermarrying with all these foreign women, but Solomon ignored every word:

1 Kings (Common English Bible)

11 In addition to Pharaoh’s daughter, King Solomon loved many foreign women, including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 2 These came from the nations that the Lord had commanded the Israelites about: “Don’t intermarry with them. They will definitely turn your heart toward their gods.” Solomon clung to these women in love. 

Had Solomon clung to God, the rest of this story would have a better ending. Instead, he clung to these women in love. But I have to stop here and ask, what are YOU clinging to that threatens your relationship with God? Are you also turning away from God’s words of warning?

3 He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred secondary wives. They turned his heart. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods. He wasn’t committed to the Lord his God with all his heart as was his father David.5 Solomon followed Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes and wasn’t completely devoted to the Lord like his father David. 

“They turned his heart after other gods.” Our mamas warned us about running with a bad crowd. When you hang out with reprobates, you are likely to become one yourself. Mama was right.

7 On the hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a shrine to Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and to Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 The Lord grew angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from being with the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 The Lord had commanded Solomon about this very thing, that he shouldn’t follow other gods. But Solomon didn’t do what the Lord commanded.

Have you ever failed to do what the Lord commands? Sometimes temptations are so great they blot out everything else. Godliness, decency, moral living, and proper behavior are often the victims of a temptation to which we succumb.

11 The Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done all this instead of keeping my covenant and my laws that I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. 12 Even so, on account of your father David, I won’t do it during your lifetime. I will tear the kingdom out of your son’s hands. 

The punishment is pronounced, but notice that even in anger, God’s love for both David and Jerusalem results in a measure of grace being extended. But Solomon’s actions result in the loss of a united Israel. After his death, the kingdom divides and grows weaker and weaker. Eventually even Jerusalem falls.

13 Moreover, I won’t tear away the entire kingdom. I will give one tribe to your son on account of my servant David and on account of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Solomon the Wise turns into a King of Fools when he succumbs to his temptations. His strength becomes his weakness as he goes from following God to actually building detestable idols in his own backyard. We can see in his story that having wisdom is not a panacea against the wiles of evil. Being smart does not equate to having strength of character.

Where is God calling you to outwit your temptations? Have you stepped aside from God’s will for your life as you have chased after idols? Has someone or something turned your heart?

Through the grace offered by the shed blood of the atonement, you can turn away from those things and come back to God. Forgiveness is the blessing that is always available to the repentant person. Softly and tenderly, Jesus calls us to come home.

Come Home by Peggy Bryson

A God-Listening Heart

Posted on by Betsy

Can you imagine God coming to you tonight and asking you, “What can I give you? Ask.” Whoa. I have no idea what my answer would be. What would yours be? Wealth? Riches? A clean house? A car that doesn’t break down? Two hours just to yourself? A year’s salary without having to work? The pandemic gone in an instant? Your baby sleeping through the night?

This passage in 1 Kings presents us with this exact scenario. King Solomon has just taken the throne from his father David, and has gone to Gibeon to worship. God meets him there in a dream and tells Solomon that he can ask for anything.

1 Kings 3 (The Message)

4-5 The king went to Gibeon, the most prestigious of the local shrines, to worship. He sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on that altar. That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, “What can I give you? Ask.”

Of ALL the things a person might request, Solomon chooses something very unexpected…he asks for a “God-listening heart.”

6 Solomon said, “You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him—and this very day!—a son to sit on his throne.

7-8 “And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I’m too young for this, a mere child! I don’t know the ropes, hardly know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you’ve chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count.

9 “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?”

Indeed, who on their own is capable of leading God’s people? Who alone is able to discern the difference between good and evil? Can anyone lead well without listening to God? A God-listening heart is what every leader needs. Leaders need wisdom, patience, discernment, and the ability to set aside personal agendas in order to follow God’s plan to the letter.

This passage today is a reminder to us that we need to pray that our elected leaders, from the White House to Capitol Hill to the local mayor’s office, would have God-listening hearts. Our prayers should be focused on asking God to help them lead and govern well. And we need to pray that our church and school board leaders have the ability to discern God’s direction and plan things according to his wisdom.

Friends, pray for your leaders…and pray for the rest of us, that we, too, would tune our hearts to listen to God.

Watch what happens next and see how God blesses Solomon’s humility with things he didn’t even ask for:

10-14 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon’s response. And God said to him, “Because you have asked for this and haven’t grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, I’ll give you what you’ve asked for—I’m giving you a wise and mature heart.

A wise and mature heart. Oh God, grant us this as well!

There’s never been one like you before; and there’ll be no one after. As a bonus, I’m giving you both the wealth and glory you didn’t ask for—there’s not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I’ll also give you a long life.”

May we all stay on course and keep our eyes on the life-map that God himself has already laid out for us. Give us your wisdom, oh God!

Keep Your Eyes on the God-Signs by Michelle Robertson