Read 1 Kings 3:5-15
I remember hearing this story as a child and imagining what it would have been like to have been in King Solomon's shoes at this point in his life. What would I have asked for if God had offered to give me anything at all? I hope it would have been something as noble as Solomon's request was. Most of us would probably ask for something primarily selfish that would benefit ourselves. However, the passage tells us that Solomon asked for "a discerning heart" (9). We see in verse 10 that this greatly pleased the Lord. He not only gave Solomon the wisdom he asked for, but he also gave him riches and honor (13). If you have read much of the Old Testament, you know that Solomon was famous for his tremendous wealth, as well as for his wisdom (he wrote many of the Proverbs).
So why don't we get such an amazing offer from God like Solomon did? Actually, James 1:5 tells us that we do!
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
This is an amazing verse for believers. Our God is a generous God who will give believers wisdom when they ask for it. So why don't we ask? I think the main reason is that we don't fully believe this verse. It's hard to believe that God would make unworthy sinners wise. Instead, we try to get wisdom on our own, by reading lots of books, listening to sermons, etc... Sure, those things give us insight and knowledge, but God alone makes us wise. We can't obtain His wisdom unless He gives it to us.
James goes on to describe how to ask for this wisdom in 1:6-8:
"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
When you ask the Lord for wisdom, also ask God to give you faith and to erase your doubts! I know that I have often been like the double-minded man in this verse, blown and tossed by the wind because of my lack of faith. I must continue to ask the Lord to increase my weak faith!
Solomon was a very wise man, which is shown through many stories of him in Scripture, as well as through the Proverbs that he wrote. However, if you read the entire story of Solomon's life, you see that he ultimately turns away from the Lord. He marries foreign wives and lets them lead his heart astray to follow other gods (read 1 Kings 11:1-13). The once wise king turns away from his God-given wisdom and follows the foolishness of the world. Solomon knew the truth, but he failed to follow the Lord in obedience later on in life.
You can be wise, but only by God's grace. In faith, ask Him to give you wisdom to use for His glory. Then, (unlike Solomon) follow the path of wisdom all of the days of your life.
