Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, table to discern between good and evil. — 1 Kings 3:9.
I’d like to believe that if God appeared to me in a dream, as he did to Solomon, and offered me anything my heart desired, my answer would be as noble as the young king’s. I’d like to think I’d choose wisdom, or an understanding mind, over all the material treasures of the world. But if I’m being honest, it’s more likely I’d ask for a pristine, vintage Porsche 911 or a new, fully-loaded pickup truck. It’s a sobering thought, but it is precisely this human fallibility that makes Solomon’s choice so inspiring.
I was reminded of this contrast during a long ago debate with a group of lawyers. The discussion centered on the qualifications of a potential Supreme Court candidate. My colleagues, as expected, were focused on resumes and track records. They dissected the candidate’s academic credentials, judicial experience, and the ideological consistency of their past rulings. When it came to my turn, I said something that felt surprisingly genuine and a little risky. I told them I wanted to know the candidate’s heart and whether they possessed an “understanding mind”—a deep, innate sense of justice and discernment. My response was, of course, met with a look of polite condescension. I was labeled naive.
But in the arena of parenting, my so-called naiveté is my most important teaching tool. I have always believed that the greatest thing we can give our children isn’t a perfect education or a path to a prestigious career, but rather a compass for navigating the world. It’s the lesson of understanding and discernment—the ability to look beyond the surface of an issue and to grasp the underlying truth, to feel empathy for others’ struggles, and to distinguish between right and wrong not just by rote rule, but by a sense of what is truly good and just. This is the foundation upon which every other lesson is built.
King Solomon’s initial request was the wisest choice a leader could make. With it, he built a golden age of peace and prosperity. He was a marvel of insight, able to settle disputes with a wisdom that seemed almost divine. Yet, as the years passed, that same discerning mind seemed to falter. He acquired hundreds of wives and, in an effort to please them, allowed idols and false gods to be worshipped within his kingdom. The man who had been given the gift of discernment failed to apply it to his own heart, and his kingdom began to unravel.
The story of Solomon is not just about a wise choice; it’s a cautionary tale about the lifelong commitment required to maintain it. An understanding mind is a gift, but it is one that must be cherished, protected, and consistently applied, not just to the grand problems of a kingdom, but to the seemingly small, daily choices of our own lives. It’s in the quiet moments—the decision to choose patience over anger, empathy over judgment, and humility over pride—that we truly prove our worthiness of this most valuable gift.
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