Knowledge is the understanding that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is the understanding that you don’t put tomatoes’ in fruit salads.
I’d like to think if I were given 1 wish, I’d pick wisdom.
I’d love tons of cash too.
Or just even financial security.
Health for my kids…
To be skinny…
Happiness?
Solomon, when given the option…
…chose wisdom.
What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Knowledge is having the information.
Wisdom is knowing what to do with that information and when and how to apply it.
Well…according to ME it is. That’s my definition.
Solomon chose wisdom. And because God was so impressed with his choice of wisdom, He gave Solomon everything else: health, wealth, and power.
As long as Solomon followed God, he prospered.
Sweet ride.
He had everything a man could want…
…and somehow, like so many Christians out there, we fall away.
We become too busy to read our Bible everday.
Guilty.
We get distracted by so many other things: tv, hobbies, friends, work, etc.
Guilty.
We enjoy sleeping in on Sunday morning so we find every excuse NOT to go.
Guilty.
Things get tough, and we blame God.
Guilty.
I’m trying so hard to do the right thing, but I still find myself falling behind in things and having to catch up or ask forgiveness in my prayer time. Lord, I’m so sorry…I got distracted, I got busy, blah blah blah…
I’ve made it to the MIDDLE of my Bible though! I’ve been reading the Bible through in a year, and I’ve made it HALFWAY! I’ve still missed and had to go back and make up some days, but I’m still truckin’ along. I’m trying.
Solomon’s wisdom was based on his obedience and his following God. And for awhile, he did fantastically! And he prospered, along with the city.
However, he grew old, and distracted, probably self-absorbed, and lazy. Somehow he forgot the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and the presence of the Lord left him.
Is there any more tragic sentence?
Totally preventable, right?
We’re all guilty of it, so how do we stop it?
1.) know God is God. The first. The last. The beginning. The end.
2.) know God loves us. He came to Solomon twice to redirect him, and Solomon did not heed those warnings. God warns us all the time. If we are wise enough to spot those warnings, we will redirect ourselves and get back on track.
3.) Stay in God’s word. I cannot stress this enough, and I say this with experience. Stay in it. It is powerful.
4.) Make time. MAKE.THE.TIME. Sneak it in the morning, stay up late, turn the tv off while the kids are sleeping, put your Bible in the bathroom so you’ll pick it up, keep scriptures close at hand….do SOMETHING. Just MAKE THE TIME.
We feel safe, we get complacent, we fall away.
For Solomon, it cost him the presence of God. Don’t do it. Stay active. Stay diligent. Stay strong.