I Kings 3:9
“Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
I like this. He wants to do a good job with what has been granted to Him. He’s not asking for fame or riches. Many would have thought that riches could have bought wise counselors, so that may have been the better request. There is too much self gratification in that one.
The Billy Graham organization built a center for him. As he toured it at it’s completion, he said, “It has too much Billy Graham in it.” That’s good. We shouldn’t want kingdoms built for ourselves.
On the point of having too much self, Chuck Smith said this (paraphrase). “We are vessels for the Lord. Plastic containers when used as a water pitcher give off a flavor of the plastic. As we allow the Lord to use us, the message shouldn’t contain any hint of us in it. How good we are or how much we’ve sacrificed and so on. It’s to be pure gospel.”
It’s very easy to inject ourselves into our work. It’s natural to do so. However, it’s not God’s way. He sent His Son to earth through poor parents, born in a manger, was not in the powerful crowd, wasn’t good looking and died a horrible death. So we aren’t to live in a way that promotes ourselves. Jesus gave a parable about this. It was about choosing seats at a banquet. We aren’t to choose the higher seats, but the lower ones. Sometimes we’ll get promoted. But that’s not why we do it. Don’t seek self promotion as we lives for Him.
I’ve heard slight criticism of Solomon for asking for wisdom. David has been called “a man after God’s heart”. Here Solomon asked for a right mind. David chose better. However, God doesn’t criticize him, but is pleased. This brings me comfort. This criticism seems right to me, but not to God. Often times we are more strict on ourselves than God is. To want to do a good job with the task God has given us is enough for Him.
The parable of the talents seems to be an example of this. In it the master was pleased with productivity. The first and second servants made a return. The third one was afraid and buried it. While God sympathizes with our weaknesses, He doesn’t do so here. This is a sinful fear. The fear of the Lord should override this one. To do nothing is inexcusable.
We should pray the prayer of Solomon. To desire to do a good job with what we have been given in the circumstances we are in.
Lord, thank You for the example of Solomon. It seems slightly lacking, but You don’t think so. So, You take our simple requests as well.