Seeking Out Wisdom

Would you consider yourself to be wise? What makes you confident about this claim; is it your experience, age, or intellect? Let us take a look at King Solomon’s journey and see how wisdom showed up in his life.

When Solomon became king, he was only about 20 years old. Despite his youth and relative inexperience, he quickly became known as the wisest man to walk the earth. Before his reign, little is mentioned about him in the Bible beyond his lineage as the son of King David and Bathsheba. Yet, his wisdom far surpassed even that of his father, David, a mighty and God-fearing ruler.

What then was so special about Solomon? Part of the answer lies in what he did right after he was crowned King. Before he began his reign, Solomon had a dream in which God appeared to him and asked what he desired. Solomon firstly humbled himself, acknowledging his lack of experience and knowledge, and also praised God's faithfulness to his father, King David (demonstrating a heart posture of humility). He then requested that God give him wisdom, knowledge and a discerning heart, one capable of governing His people with wisdom and distinguishing between right and wrong (1 Kings 3:7-9). This request in and of itself was a wise one, and the question is how could such a young and inexperienced man, have the mind to make this wise request? In Psalms 37:4, the psalmist writes that if you “take delight in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart.” Meaning that by living a life that honors and seeks the Lord, you will begin to have desires that stem directly from the heart of the Lord, which He will then fulfill (Psalm 20:4).

This was the case with Solomon; up to this point he had been walking in line with God’s word, in accordance with the teachings that his father King David had given him (1 Kings 3:3). Hence, his heart was already seeking and honoring the Lord before this dream encounter. This is why Solomon had the mind to make this wise request; God had already planted that desire in his heart. The subsequent wisdom that God then bestowed on Solomon was unmatched, garnering the attention of rulers from all over the Earth. It allowed him to write some of the most influential books in the Bible, including the book of Proverbs – a well wisdom to this very day. Furthermore, King Solomon’s reign is termed as the most peaceful, and prosperous among all the kings of Israel.

There is no doubt that the experience that comes with age as well as the knowledge that we gain through our intellect offer us a level of wisdom. However, King Solomon’s account testifies to the fact that divine wisdom that transcends experience, age and intellect, only stems from the Lord. As it is written in Proverbs 2:6, the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Where do the desires of your heart stem from? Are you seeking out this wisdom? The good news is that this wisdom is still available for those who desire it.