1st Kings 1-3
DON'T ACT LIKE A KING UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY ARE ONE.
Good lesson, right? It's alright to pamper yourself, or act like a king for a little while. But you can't go around judging people according to what YOU see, or what YOU know. Chances are, you'll be wrong.
Please read today's reading with the BIBLE READER widget to the left of this post OR at http://www.bible.com/ if you haven't already. Only three short chapters, and it's a brand new book of the Bible today!
In today's reading, King Solomon (because King David appointed him over Israel after he died,) was influenced by God with great wisdom and strength to settle issues. I say "was influenced by God" because he prayed to God to give his wisdom and strength earlier, and became very successful for his people because of God.
These two women came to Solomon and asked him to settle a disagreement they'd been having. It was quite the disagreement, too! One woman argued that out of both of their newborns, HERS was the one that lived through the night. The other woman argues that it was HER baby that lived, and that the other woman simply exchanged the babies at night. Very medieval-soap-opera-ish, I thought.
Even though Solomon must of been a little confused on what to do... it was his job as king to settle arguments, so he had to make a choice. That's what kings do... help out their people. Even if it's NONE of his business, he's still supposed to solve issues. Poor guy.
So back to the message of the day, "don't act like a king unless you actually are one." Most of my readers aren't kings... (if you are, HI! WELCOME!) so I'm assuming most of us can't go around solving other people's problems.
I face these sort of problems everyday. I want to help someone, or correct someone... but most times it's just not my place to do so. I'm not the king, or the judge, of someone else and their life. Sometimes I wish I were, because I keep thinking MY WAY is different. MY IDEA could work. MY WAY IS BETTER THAN YOUR WAY. However, like I said... I'm not in charge of other people's lives.
I think Solomon knew that even though it WAS his place to settle arguments, that he wasn't the ultimate judge. Nothing he could say could be better than what God wanted, right? So in a way, not even Solomon had the authority to judge someone else. What'd he do, then?
Simple. He asked God.
Now if you read, you'd know that he prayed BEFORE this encounter with the women... but I don't think that matters. He still asked God to make him a good leader, not for himself, but for the good of the people. He was being humble, and wanting to be a good leader... but he knew that even the good leaders need God. So, he prayed about everything, asking for God's leadership.
Then, he settled the argument between the two women. Not by himself, but with God. He said, "I can't decide who gets the living baby, so we'll split it in half, so each woman can have a share."
One women was like "Okay!" But the other screamed to let the other have the baby, because she didn't want it to be harmed. Which do YOU think was the real mother?
Without God's help, Solomon wouldn't of had this excellent plan. He might of judged wrong, and said the wrong thing. The woman who claimed to be a mother (but wasn't) would of gotten the baby, leaving the real mother crying for her child.
That's why we need to stop acting like we know it all sometimes. We don't! Yes, sometimes we might know something someone else doesn't. We might see a relationship, or tragedy that we THINK we can fix, according to OUR beliefs.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Without God, there's no use in trying to fix someone. None at all. We can help people out sometimes, and give our opinions when it's needed. But make sure that it's what God would want us to say. Not sure what that is? Don't ask me what the Godly thing is to say, ask Him yourself! Pray about it. He'll give you advice, and give you a plan, just like He gave Solomon one.
Got it? Email me with any questions. Peace.
DON'T ACT LIKE A KING UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY ARE ONE.Good lesson, right? It's alright to pamper yourself, or act like a king for a little while. But you can't go around judging people according to what YOU see, or what YOU know. Chances are, you'll be wrong.
Please read today's reading with the BIBLE READER widget to the left of this post OR at http://www.bible.com/ if you haven't already. Only three short chapters, and it's a brand new book of the Bible today!
In today's reading, King Solomon (because King David appointed him over Israel after he died,) was influenced by God with great wisdom and strength to settle issues. I say "was influenced by God" because he prayed to God to give his wisdom and strength earlier, and became very successful for his people because of God.
These two women came to Solomon and asked him to settle a disagreement they'd been having. It was quite the disagreement, too! One woman argued that out of both of their newborns, HERS was the one that lived through the night. The other woman argues that it was HER baby that lived, and that the other woman simply exchanged the babies at night. Very medieval-soap-opera-ish, I thought.
Even though Solomon must of been a little confused on what to do... it was his job as king to settle arguments, so he had to make a choice. That's what kings do... help out their people. Even if it's NONE of his business, he's still supposed to solve issues. Poor guy.
So back to the message of the day, "don't act like a king unless you actually are one." Most of my readers aren't kings... (if you are, HI! WELCOME!) so I'm assuming most of us can't go around solving other people's problems.
I face these sort of problems everyday. I want to help someone, or correct someone... but most times it's just not my place to do so. I'm not the king, or the judge, of someone else and their life. Sometimes I wish I were, because I keep thinking MY WAY is different. MY IDEA could work. MY WAY IS BETTER THAN YOUR WAY. However, like I said... I'm not in charge of other people's lives.
I think Solomon knew that even though it WAS his place to settle arguments, that he wasn't the ultimate judge. Nothing he could say could be better than what God wanted, right? So in a way, not even Solomon had the authority to judge someone else. What'd he do, then?
Simple. He asked God.
Now if you read, you'd know that he prayed BEFORE this encounter with the women... but I don't think that matters. He still asked God to make him a good leader, not for himself, but for the good of the people. He was being humble, and wanting to be a good leader... but he knew that even the good leaders need God. So, he prayed about everything, asking for God's leadership.
Then, he settled the argument between the two women. Not by himself, but with God. He said, "I can't decide who gets the living baby, so we'll split it in half, so each woman can have a share."
One women was like "Okay!" But the other screamed to let the other have the baby, because she didn't want it to be harmed. Which do YOU think was the real mother?
Without God's help, Solomon wouldn't of had this excellent plan. He might of judged wrong, and said the wrong thing. The woman who claimed to be a mother (but wasn't) would of gotten the baby, leaving the real mother crying for her child.
That's why we need to stop acting like we know it all sometimes. We don't! Yes, sometimes we might know something someone else doesn't. We might see a relationship, or tragedy that we THINK we can fix, according to OUR beliefs.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Without God, there's no use in trying to fix someone. None at all. We can help people out sometimes, and give our opinions when it's needed. But make sure that it's what God would want us to say. Not sure what that is? Don't ask me what the Godly thing is to say, ask Him yourself! Pray about it. He'll give you advice, and give you a plan, just like He gave Solomon one.
Got it? Email me with any questions. Peace.
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