Imperfect Strength

When King David was about to die, he gave some final words of instruction to his son Solomon, who had already been established as the new king. Included in his words in I Kings 2 was a recognition of one of Solomon's strengths. "So act according to your wisdom" (v. 6). "For you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do" (v. 9).

David recognized that Solomon already possessed great wisdom. Based on the acknowledgment of that wisdom, David instructed Solomon to discern how to deal with a couple of specific situations. The remainder of chapter 2 recounts Solomon's actions in dealing with those situations. Not only was Solomon's wisdom acknowledged by David, but it was also demonstrated by Solomon's actions.

Chapter 3 (which comes later chronologically) tells the familiar story of Solomon's request to God. When God invited, "Ask what you wish Me to give you," (v. 5), Solomon made this humble and sincere petition in verses 7-9.

"Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil."

God granted Solomon's request, making this statement: "Behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you" (v. 12). Solomon's subsequent increased wisdom was repeatedly affirmed by God, recognized by others, and demonstrated by his deeds.

Wisdom was already one of Solomon's strengths, but he realized that he needed more. One might even wonder if he really needed greater wisdom, or if he was actually wise enough already. The very fact that God gave wisdom to Solomon when he asked is an indication that he truly could use more. The continuation of Solomon's story also reveals the reality that his increased wisdom helped him in future situations. The magnitude of the job also supports the need for greater wisdom; Solomon was right when he recognized the immensity of the task that was before him. Even though he was wise, he needed more wisdom.

Just like Solomon, Christians have varying areas of strength. Some are naturally very loving. Some demonstrate unusual strength of conviction. Some are excellent teachers, while others are great servants. There are believers who excel in patience, mercy, forgiveness, boldness, stability, or dependability. Some are great prayer warriors, effective witnesses, or fervent students of the Word.

None of those believers, however, regardless of the magnitude of his strong point, is perfect in that aspect. Even where he is strongest, a believer still has plenty of room to grow. It would be easy to rest in one's strength, thinking, "At least I have that point down." This is dangerous thinking, setting one up for unexpected failure. It is also naive thinking; complacency can prevent the believer from more fully maximizing the way in which God wants to use him.

A humble and discerning Christian will pray for God to help him grow even where he is already strong. Whatever strength he has is only by the grace of God in the first place, and it is only God's grace that will enable him to continue in that strength or increase in it. There is always more that God can do when the believer is willing and desirous for God to work. He can increase a Christian's strong point to make him even stronger.

It is crucial that the believer remembers the source of his strength. In Solomon's case, he had a natural wisdom. Added to that was a God-enhanced wisdom. When Solomon used the godly wisdom, he prospered, but when he fell back on the natural wisdom, he put himself on the path to disaster. For example, it was a wise political move to form marriage alliances with so many other nations. It was a terrible failure of godly wisdom.

Just as God had predicted, foreign wives tore Solomon's heart away from God. God had pled with Solomon not to turn to the idols of his foreign wives, but to no avail. Solomon's natural wisdom made a poor choice that flagrantly rejected the wisdom revealed by God. As a result, the end of this monumentally wise man reads this way: "For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God. . . . Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully. . . . Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded" (I Kings 11:4,6, 9-10).

Solomon's wisdom, something that started out strong and then increased even more with God's blessing, ended up failing in the end. It was an extremely unwise choice to ignore God's specific instructions and repeated warnings. Oh, for a heart that will not fall to the same fate. By God's grace, may He take my weaknesses and make them strong. May He take my strengths and make them even stronger. May He keep my heart tender to rely on Him and recognize that any good I have comes only from Him.

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." (I Corinthians 10:12)

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain." (I Corinthians 15:10)

"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on." (Philippians 3:12)