Wisdom and Prudence

Solomon's life was monumental in the history of the world; never before had there been one man who gathered so many riches, possessions, and land to himself. The building of the Temple and his palace were works of art in themselves. The gold that he was given by kings and kingdoms who seemed, like Sheba, to be gawking school girls looking for emotional satisfaction would rival the stores of great countries anywhere anytime! Not to mention the wisdom he had because of his prayer for discernment. It seems the whole known world was most in awe of his metal acumen. The editor of Kings finds it so hard to communicate the grandeur of Solomon's kingdom and the man himself that he simply states that his legend is chronicled elsewhere.

Prudence, however, was apparently not within his abilities. In Solomon we have the story of a man who lost his entire empire over one indiscretion. That choice became a weakness that was revisited time and again over his life however. This repetition was what cost him the throne. God promised him that the loss would not come in his lifetime because of David's faithfulness, but it was gone none the less.

What was this lapse of judgment from the wisest man ever to live? Marrying women from countries known for idolatry and known to be enemies of Israel. The idol worship thing was pretty big with God on His do not do list! Some may point to David's harem as a precedent and ask why the kingdom was not ripped from his hands. The answer is that David married many women, but he did not follow them in worshipping other gods. David's heart stayed true to the God of Abraham. Solomon, on the other hand, began to stray from the God who placed him on the throne and gave him the wisdom so cherished by the entire known world.

On the morning I write this the leaves are falling and there is a distinct chill in the air. The seasons are changing and life continues on a cycle that only God can sustain. Our lives are full of change and newness from time to time. We often find ourselves entering a molting period, if you will. For the most part, change is good. What we must be careful of is the change that draws us away from God as Solomon was. We cannot wholeheartedly embrace all change as God directed because God will not preserve life that veers from His outline. We will continue to live. But, the life giving flow of the Spirit through us will dwindle and fade as it did for Solomon and we will lose what was so precious to us and to those around us.

To live by the Spirit we must not only strive for the things of God, we must also keep ourselves from the things of the world and the enemy. Don't allow the lure of the "beautiful women from foreign nations" to pull you away from God's design for you. It will not happen in a minute; rather, it will happen over time as you simply think you are entering another season of your life. Paul reminds us that all things are permissible for us as we live under grace, but that not all things are beneficial for us! Be wise and prudent in all you do.