A Leader's Wisdom

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon gin a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:5-9 ESV).

 

Aristotle is quoted as saying, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” However, better advice came from King Solomon, who wrote centuries earlier: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). In our text today, we see that Solomon knew he deeply needed wisdom from God because he knew himself and he feared the Lord. I am often amazed by so many who have been given the privilege of leadership and though they know themselves and their personal goals well, simply don’t appear to know the Lord well at all. They haven’t given any indication they are wise.

 

Go back to our reading today. Solomon was now king of Israel but had not yet finished building the Temple. Solomon, like other Israelites at the time, went to the most important high place in Gibeon to make sacrifices to the Lord (v.4). While there, the Lord came to Solomon in a dream, saying, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you”(v. 5). I can’t imagine being given that ability. I can’t imagine what I would ask for. Perhaps I might be unselfish and ask for health, happiness, or success for my children and their families. And, while that sounds admirable, it would be far too short of what God would want for me to ask.

 

Solomon began his response by praising God: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David.” Then he acknowledged the continued kindness God had shown to him (v. 6). Solomon acknowledged the Davidic covenant was continuing to be fulfilled through him. But he also recognized his youthfulness and inexperience (v. 7). He was barely out of his teens when he took the throne so it is no surprise that he felt overwhelmed with the responsibilities of governing the nation. Solomon continued and did not ask for wealth or a happy life, but rather said, “Give your servant a discerning heart” (v. 9).

 

The word discerning can also be translated “hearing” or “obedient.” Solomon was asking for the capacity to obey God’s law and distinguish between right and wrong (v. 9). He recognized that the best thing for him to do was to stay in step with the law of God. In return, God richly blessed him for humbling himself and seeking wisdom. That’s a leader’s wisdom. Are you such a leader? You can be… ask God and he will give it to you (cf. James 1:5-7).