“An Understanding Mind”
August 18, 2024
I Kings 3:3–14
3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. 4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ 6And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.
If you have had any experience with a congregation over time, you know that one of the greatest challenges surrounds the matter of pastoral succession. The road to succession is often a complicated and a usually has greater impact on a faith community’s future health and vitality than anything else.
This Old Testament account, the road to Solomon’s succession is no exception. Solomon, a son of David, has ascended to the throne after 40 years of his father’s rule. The preceding books of the Hebrew Bible inform us of the long and winding road to this point. Imagine stepping into your father’s professional shoes after 40 years!
Solomon faces the challenge that most successors will also face: how to faithfully honor the past with all its roots, while setting a course for the future. This is a delicate balance to strike.
Right away, we learn Solomon is attentive to the first part of this balance. In the midst of the habits of faithful practice, thankfully and wisely, God shows up in a way that profoundly impacts the trajectory of Solomon’s future.
God uses the tool of a dream (which God does often). We read: the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ 6(Solomon’s prayer follows) And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’
Solomon understands that the purpose of succession is not self-promotion but collective continuance. God’s ultimate intent was not for kings over Israel but for the flourishing of the people in relationship with God. In essence, Solomon’s request shows that he does not hold a self-important view of kingship. Rather, he seeks the well-being of the people, not chiefly to stand over them, but amidst them as well.
Kyle Brooks, Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of San Diego writes: “The transfer of power and authority can be rocky if there is not a thoughtful respect for one’s place in a larger history. We rest on the shoulders of those whose labor and effort have made our presence possible, and we do well to humbly acknowledge our inheritance while courageously taking on our present responsibilities.”[i]
This story of Solomon suggests that power and authority are not meant for permanent possession but for stewarding the present. In the end, the throne does not belong to Solomon; he simply plays his role in keeping the traditions alive and well. Such is the work of any good successor.
This is wisdom as the Bible teaches. “Wisdom,” in the Bible, “is knowing the greatest goal in any situation, and the best way to achieve that goal.” (John Piper, in “The Great Work of the Only Wise God”). Wisdom sees the big picture, in focus, each part in its proper relationship to the rest.
Does it seem to you that the wisdom of Solomon is applicable to our day?
The world keenly needs wise leaders in all walks of life who reflect the values that inform upstanding morality and advance the common good.
Wisdom, precisely its elusiveness, is prominent on the American civic stage right now. Where are the voices of inspiration, fairness, respect and hope?
Whenever we critique the state of American and religious leadership, we best look in the mirror and confess our small-mindedness, incivility, and self-interest even as we critique prevarications from those who aspire to leadership.
In this reading, the dynamic interplay of divine and human wisdom teaches us that God still speaks, providing insights for the short haul and the far horizons. Divine wisdom takes us from self-interest to world loyalty. To find peace in our hearts and communities, we need a wider vision that shapes both the micro and macro aspects of our lives, including the dimensions of civic life in all its forms.
Human wisdom must be grounded in attentiveness to divine creativity evidenced in creation, the earth upon which we live and the movements and actions of our own bodies, minds, and spirits. The responsibility is ours to align with divine wisdom –not our own individualistic and self-interested projects. It is such alignment that offers true joy and brings blessing to healthy community.
Would that all leaders take Solomon’s prayer (vv 6–9) seriously. In a moment of promotion, the responsibility to rule a people, he does not ask for wealth or power. He does not want to subjugate national wellbeing to political gain. He recognizes his inexperience and asks for something much more important — an understanding mind and a thinking heart. Wisdom and understanding give us a spiritual GPS that joins the ideal and actual, the possible and the concrete, the big picture and the daily details.
Wise leadership looks beyond the moment to see what is best for personal relationships, church, community, or nation. Wise decisions are inspired by seeking the greatest good and encouraging the widest creativity.
Solomon’s prayer is for wise leadership. It teaches us to think beyond the self, recognize limitations and possibilities, honor diversity, and look for ways to bring health to the whole organism. That is not just the job of one entrusted with official leadership, but for all who care about the well-being of the human family and this earthy home we share together.
[i] Chasing Ghosts: The Politics of Black Religious Leadership (under contract with Georgetown University Press
