A Pleasing Request
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Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?” This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
1 Kings 3:9-10 (WEB)
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Here’s something I don’t think about often enough:
How can I please God more?
Sure, I’ll think about ways to be obedient to God. I suppose wanting to honor Him with my life is a variation of pleasing Him.
But to sit around and actually think about ways I can do things to please Him?
It’s just not been on my radar.
Young King Solomon asks God for wisdom and it pleases the Lord.
It came on the heels of an outstanding offer from God: ask for what I should give you.
Most of us are savvy enough not to ask for something mundane, like a fast sportscar. Or a yacht. Nothing wrong with those things, per se, but in the context of our whole lives they are small things.
Solomon was worried about taking care of God’s people.
He wanted to do a good job … he wanted to please the Lord.
So he asked for the wisdom to lead God’s people well.
While you and I don’t have kingdoms under our leadership, the Lord still gives us people to shepherd. Family, mentees, students, etc. We have a responsibility to take care of God’s people the best way we know how.
So it’s probably a good idea to ask for wisdom to lead those people well.
Just like Solomon asked for and it pleased God.
… but make sure you don’t follow the other foolish footsteps that Solomon took.
Ecclesiastes points out the vanity of that anyway.
— Ricky Ketchum
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