My message for today is to deal with the subject of WISDOM in relation to our faith, and this, of course, is linked to Obeying God. Wisdom is what we all try to seek in our lives. 

Wisdom is defined as “The ability to recognise right from wrong” (Discernment).

So, who is regarded in scripture as one of the wisest men – who could I choose? 

There are so many wise people to choose from, and then the name of SOLOMON leapt into my mind as during his rule, he was regarded as one of the wisest leaders of his time.

I feel I must say this before I commence – this will not be a history lesson – that’s just to put your minds at rest because I want to emphasise the importance of WISDOM hand in hand with FAITH.

OK, let’s get to it. As they used to say on a children’s programme on BBC Radio, “Are you sitting comfortably, good then I’ll begin”.

1 KINGS 4 VSS 29 -34

God gave Solomon wisdom, great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 

Solomon’s wisdom was more significant than the men of the East and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than Heman, Calcol and Dorda, the sons of Mahol.  And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.

(Here are a few hints for those interested in memorising scriptural verses!)

He spoke 3000 Proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop that grows out of the walls. 

He taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world who had heard of his wisdom.

His Biblical writing included PSALM 72 and THE BOOKS ECCLESIASTES AND THE SONGS OF SOLOMON. He was, in short, a very busy King.

The Bible tells us that Wisdom is only effective when it is implemented.

But how do we use wisdom – how do we recognise it? 

It seems that Solomon, who had asked for wisdom to be a good ruler, left it too late – through his sealing a pact with Egypt by marrying Pharoah’s daughter, she was the first of hundreds of wives, by the way, because politically, this was the thing to do in his perception!  

Against all advice, Solomon ignored not only his father’s last words but also God’s DIRECT COMMANDS.

A case in point here is that Solomon’s actions remind us of how easy it is to know what is right and yet not do it! 

I’m sure we are all aware of this in our personal lives when the natural, not the spiritual, take over!

He was the King chosen to lead God’s nation. Still, he failed to get his priorities right because he charged his people excessive taxes and overworked them with the result that his people were none too pleased with him and, as the Bible states, ‘were gradually alienated from him’, yet people still came from far and wide to admire this King. He drafted people into forced labour and forced military service.

So, what about us? Our SECURITY AND CONTENTMENT IS FOUND IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, IS DESCRIBED IN SCRIPTURE AS ‘VAIN PURSUIT’.

Success in this world is not permanent, and if we don’t have the wisdom to balance out what our goals are, our relationship with God is on the wrong track; we are to be blunt on a hiding to nothing!

EVERYTHING HINGES ON A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND DUE TO SOLOMON’S DISOBEDIENCE, it wasn’t until later in his life that he learned his lesson through REPENTANCE. Let us not forget that Solomon was responsible for building the temple in Jerusalem.

NOW READ:  Luke Chapter 2, verses 41 – 52

The KEY to Jesus’ experience is that he kept increasing his WISDOM AND STATURE in favour with God and men. The more he read, listened, learned and PRAYED, Jesus’s wisdom INCREASED.

Imagine Mary and Joseph had taken a trip to Jerusalem as it was The Passover and had travelled there by ‘caravan’; from all accounts, there were thieves that would attack people who were travelling on their own, so a traveller was safer in an organised and large group. Well, there he was amongst all the learned teachers in the Synagogue, listening to them and asking questions.

He was 12 years of age 12! There was this young boy, The Son of God, who later became a carpenter soaking up all the information God wanted him to learn. With commitment and dedication, he eventually preached the word of God and worked miracles and even defeated Death.

Now, what questions should we be asking ourselves?

Are we listening to God when we know what we should be doing, but DO WE DO IT?

Like Solomon, we have successes and positives, but these are temporary. If we don’t hand it all to God, those temporary situations turn into negatives in our lives.

A Personal Admission:

How many of us go our own way? I did when I was young.  

A Jolly Jack, my hearty – didn’t really want to know about what I had been brought up with. I remember referring to those cliques I had seen in churches over the years, and God got shoved aside. We can’t blame God for human behaviour when we know what road to take!

There was a young Lieutenant who knew I had come from a Christian family. He formed a prayer and study group – five of us, on my first ship, HMS GAMBIA – and eventually, a year later, in Singapore, instead of going to the local Sembawang bar I used to visit, I found myself joining a Naval Christian Fellowship which I attended recommended by a Christian Commander and it was great – officers and men all believing the WORD OF GOD. 

And, of course, later in my service, whilst based ashore for a year, I met Val, the only Christian girl on her ‘messdeck’ – she was in the Women’s Royal Naval Service! See the Pattern? God never let me go! He won’t if you search for HIM!

I expect I’ve mentioned this before, but when I was on my first ship, there was a Scottish Colour Sargent, Royal Marines, who I was told by a pal of mine ‘got religion’. 

Some years later, at our church in Conway North Wales, the visiting preacher was a familiar face – it was good old Jock, our old Colour Sargent! 

It made my day – You see, God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.

Malcolm delivered this message during the 5 March worship-service at Oamaru Baptist Church.