The Square Peg

There's a story in the Bible about two harlots who went to King Solomon to settle a dispute they were having. Both women had recently given birth to boys. The first woman said the second woman had rolled over onto her own baby during the night and killed him, and then sneaked into her room to swap the babies and kept the living infant as her own. The second woman said the story was the other way around and that her baby was fine; it was the first woman's baby who had died.

Solomon ordered a sword be brought to him so the living baby could be cut in half and each woman could have a piece of him. One of the women spoke up and told the king not to cut the baby but rather to let the other woman have the child whole so he could live. The other woman was actually OK with the child being cut in two. Solomon ordered that the baby be given to the woman who was willing to give him up because he knew she was the mother of the living child. You can find the story here, starting with verse 16.

I've always been fascinated by that story. Fascinated that a woman would rather steal another woman's child than accept a terrible tragedy had taken place (talk about misery loving company!). Fascinated that the mother of the living child would let her child go to someone else rather than see him dead (I would've fought to keep my child from going to the unbalanced, emotional woman). But especially fascinated with Solomon's wise action and insight. It shouldn't come as a surprise that when God told Solomon He'd give him anything he wanted on earth, Solomon chose wisdom. He could've asked for money, position, or any of the other earthly things someone would typically ask for, but he didn't. But Solomon's wisdom did end up bringing him many of the things you'd expect someone to want, such as wealth, power, status, and the like.

I think I've probably longed and asked God for wisdom more than almost anything else in my adult life. And I think God wants to give me wisdom even more than I want to have it because I don't think God wants a weekend warrior; I think He's looking for someone to stay the course, trust His character, and who's willing to be an instrument for His kingdom, whatever that looks like. Wisdom plays a part in that because sometimes it's hard to swallow what some people dish out, and wisdom operating with faith will often get you through some pretty rocky places.

Wisdom can be a catapult as well as an anchor. A catapult because it can launch you into areas you wouldn't have been able to enter into without it, and an anchor because it can keep you from being swayed when standing firm is necessary.

Obtain wisdom at all costs.
Peace.