Read: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 4:29-34

People of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. (4:34)

Both Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes are associated with Solomon, and before we jump into these books let’s remind ourselves of some important details from Solomon’s life.

Solomon was Israel’s first dynastic ruler, and he secured unparalleled peace and prosperity, largely because of a number of foreign alliances made through his many marriages. Because of this stability, there was time for him to be a prodigious scholar, speaking 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs! I love that the Bible points out that Solomon was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite and others we’ve never heard of. Those sages are long forgotten, but we remember Solomon’s wisdom.

Solomon receiving wisdom in a dream sounds almost like someone finding a magic lamp and being able to ask a genie for anything. What would you ask for? Health and happiness? Wealth and fame? In 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon delighted the Lord by asking for an understanding mind to govern with and the ability to discern good from evil. In other words, he asked for wisdom. God’s response sounds a bit like Matthew 6:33. Because Solomon sought first what God wanted him to seek, God added many other things as well. Have you ever asked God for an understanding mind? It takes humility and the desire to “stand under” something to truly understand it. Too many of us “stand over” things instead. Solomon’s humble approach is wiser. —Jeff Munroe

Prayer: Lord, grant us humility as we seek wisdom.