By Reverend J. Loren Russell
2 Chronicles 1:7, 11-12 NLT
“That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”
I’ve always found this story of Solomon one of the most fascinating and personally challenging stories in the Bible.
Solomon was succeeding his father’s reign as king of Israel and was being anointed by God Himself. The Lord asks Solomon to tell Him what he wanted, and He would give it to him. Here is where it gets fascinating and challenging to me. Before Solomon is given the mantle of king, the architect of the universe asks him what he desired more than anything else. Solomon didn’t ask for fame or fortune, he didn’t ask for power, he asked for wisdom to rule his people.
I am personally challenged by Solomon’s request. I find myself asking what would I request should the Lord give me the same choice. Would I be as magnanimous as Solomon, or would I ask for wealth, power, or fame, things that brings creature comforts? Remember, the Lord said
“Ask, and I will give it to you!”
I wonder what could have motivated Solomon to ask for wisdom? Perhaps it was his lineage as heir to the throne that prompted him to ask for wisdom. After all, he was going to inherit the entire kingdom and all its wealth. I would argue that it was Solomon’s humility and not his heritage that determined his request.
Leading a nation is a monumental task that requires a great deal of wisdom to be done right. Many rise to power but not all lead wisely. Solomon thought of the well-being of the kingdom before he thought of himself. He considered wise leadership to be of the utmost importance and more important than anything else.
Because Solomon’s greatest desire was to help his people, and because he did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, the death of his enemies, or even a long life, the Lord not only gave him the wisdom and the knowledge he requested, but added wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before him or will ever have in the future!
There is a takeaway here for each of us. If we consider the needs of others before our own, we may not only get the desires of our heart, but we may also get gifts and blessings the Lord wants us to have which are far more than we could ever ask or think. When we put the needs of others before our personal desires, the Lord just might do for us what He did for Solomon and pour out blessings that go beyond our wildest dreams. What’s your request?
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the spiritual leader of both LaGree Baptist Church and the Evangelical Church of God, all in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096), and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook Live. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on YouTube and email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smash words.com/books/view/993177.
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