Doug Van Pelt

The Wisdom of Solomon

Once I get the network printer on, check for any faxes, have the thermostat set, have coffee brewing, have the blinds open, then there's only one or two things left before my day begins. I'll feed Rufus, the office Beta fish.

In 1 Kings 3, we see Solomon doing something unusual. He offered sacrifices in "high places," which wasn't exactly following in the statutes his father David had walked. But the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream anyway (after a 1,000 burnt offerings), and said, "As for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon asked for discernment and wisdom. God was so pleased at this answer (instead of wealth, long life, or the death of certain enemies) that He gave Solomon incredible wealth. Solomon had an abundance of these things as long as he walked in God's ways. The end of this chapter has the infamous stories of two women (they were actually prostitutes) who each had a baby, but one had been smothered in the night and she switched her dead baby with the other women's live baby. Solomon asked for a sword and commanded that the living baby be cut in two. The woman that spoke up and said, "No! Give her the baby, just don't kill it," was indeed the rightful mother. All of Israel heard about this and were in awe of this wisdom.

I can't imagine God offering me anything I wanted. I had an offer like this only once, from my dad. I had lost a fist-fight by my bus stop after school (Roger Bholles was his name) and during supper my dad had hit me in the wrist with a spoon over something I did wrong. I just lost it and started bawling. I probably left the table without eating or something, but I remember my dad coming up to my room, torn up by my sorrow. He offered me something like, "I'll do anything? Is there anything I can give you?" I briefly thought of a trip to Toys R Us, but declined the offer. I don't think I even told him about losing the fight (probably too embarrassed), until years later.

What would you tell God if He offered you anything once you were in Heaven? The possibilities would be endless. What if He offered you something close to anything on earth? How would you respond?

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at February 21, 2005 09:28 AM