Ask Responsibly

5.18.2011

1 Kings 3:11-12 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. NIV

Solomon was a wise person; his request to God proved that. I am often an unwise person; my requests to God prove that. Solomon recognized the magnitude of the task in front of him and for this moment in his life he did the smart thing – he asked God for what he needed to do it - wisdom. He started out like a great and powerful dam controlling the flow of a vast river – he did his job with wisdom, efficiency, and skill. But he forgot that while dams serve a great purpose, behind those dams are the reservoirs which need attended to as well; a dam must never forget to care for what it was designed to care for.

The only way to handle our relationships is through wisdom. The only way to handle our finances is with wisdom. The only way to handle employment (or the lack thereof these days) is with wisdom. The only way to properly live our lives is by wisdom. The only way to get wisdom is to come to God with the right heart and ask Him (James 1). Wisdom is there for the taking – all we need do is ask.

But God also warned Solomon, “And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”(1 Kings 3:14) Wisdom comes with a price: responsibility. It seems Solomon got the brass ring but forgot what to do with it. Wisdom demands we subject our agendas to God’s will. And it takes great courage, strength of heart, and wisdom to do that. So, when I ask God for wisdom, I must remember what it is I’m asking for, and use wisdom the wisdom He gives wisely and responsibly.

Father in Heaven,
The piles of my mistakes are mountainous. Solomon wisely asked You for wisdom, and for a while in his life it worked. I ask again for wisdom to live honestly, openly, and nakedly before You. May I praise You for Your grace, goodness, and gifts, and faithfully attend to the shadows in my life honestly and courageously. For the rest of my days in all of my circumstances, may I have Your wisdom to at least be wise enough to stop long enough to ask for Your wisdom – amen.