Wisdom is the sound judgment of life

Solomon was wiser than any man of his time. God gave Solomon wisdom, great understanding, and largeness of heart. People came near and far to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 4:34).

At a very young age, Solomon took his seat as king. It is believed that he was around 20 years old at the time he became king, he was a mere kid.

God said that no man would ever be as wise as Solomon. But we should strive to seek the wisdom to make sound judgments in life. So often we find ourselves in predicaments that require us to have wisdom and because of our childlike minds, in adult bodies, we tend to make irrational decisions. When faced with such situations, one of two things would happen; you will falter or seek guidance. In most cases, people would seek advice from everyone but God. 

Early in Solomon’s reign, he had a vision from God. God told him to ask, “what shall I give you?”  Solomon realized his youthfulness, lack of knowledge, and experience to rule over the people (1 Kings 3:7-8.) As opposed to asking for the obvious – money, and material things, Solomon asked for an understanding heart – wisdom (1 Kings 39).  

While book knowledge has its place, you should always seek the counsel of God in everything that you do. Godlike wisdom supersedes book knowledge. Continuous prayer life and relationship with God, he will not lead you astray. He will order your steps, be a lamp up under your feet, and He will provide you with the knowledge of understanding.

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Promises are not made to be broken

When David was running for his life, he and his best friend Jonathan made a covenant (1 Sam. 18:3) that no matter what happened, David would not cut off his kindness to his family (1 Sam 20:15).

 

David's friend Jonathan his brothers, and King Saul all died in battle, making way for David to become king of all of Israel. As the new king, one of the first things David did was make good on his covenant. He asked if anyone remained in Saul's house; he wanted to show kindness for Jonathan's sake (2 Sam. 9:1)

 

Today, many people make a "covenant" or "promise" and do not fulfill them. At dedication ceremonies for newborns, many families make covenants by making friends and some family members Godparents of their child. The "promise" is to help with the child's religious education, and in case of the parents' untimely demise, step in and care for the child. 

 

In Biblical times, a covenant was a formal promise made under oath. Today a covenant is more like "a promise or guarantee between two parties that are not fulfilled. 

 

David made good on his covenant with Jonathan. He gave Saul's grandson, Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, a seat at the King's table. He restored to Mephibosheth what was rightfully his (2 Sam. 9:7).

 

God made a covenant with His children. Through His covenant, (Heb 8) He promises to bless us as we obey the conditions. Are you fulfilling God’s covenant? What covenants or promises have you made that need to be fulfilled? 

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God’s Sovereignty

 

Naomi had it all; a husband, two sons, and wealth. Inflation hit the land causing Naomi and her family to move, and as opposed to things getting better, they got worse. During turmoil, Naomi's husband and two sons die.

When tragedy strikes, the feeling of hopelessness and doubt creeps in. We look for answers, worry, and even blame God for the calamity.

In the book of Ruth, Naomi was no different. She had reached the point of hopelessness. Naomi felt that the hand of God was against her (Ruth 1:13). Naomi could not see any way out. Naomi's anguish was so bad she changed her name to Mara, which means 'bitter' (Ruth 1:20).

Naomi's story can happen to anyone of us at any given moment. One day you are on top of the world, the next you lose it all - health, wealth, and even family.

How we deal with life situations is entirely up to us. Like Naomi, when tragedy struck, she focused on the situation and did not recognize God's Sovereignty. God provided a friend named Ruth and her relative Boaz (Ruth 2).

Through Ruth's genuine love and friendship, Naomi’s eyes and heart were opened to see and receive God's compassion. Naomi begins to understand God's sovereignty - His love, kindness, and mercy towards her.

No matter how painful your hardship may be, pay attention to the friends who encircle you during your tragedy. These friends could be your Ruth or Boaz working on behalf of God.

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