How Not to Lose It All: Learning from King Solomon (1)

Our meditation this week shall begin with having attained and achieved success, how not to lose it all: learning from King Solomon.

So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord 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 keep what the Lord had commanded. Therefore, the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
– 1 Kings 11:9-11

We have read about how Solomon comported himself into an encounter with God and thereafter became a recipient of such great wisdom and massive wealth. He achieved these by putting the people’s needs ahead of his own.

However, Solomon abused the opportunity given to him and could have been stripped of everything he had, if not for the grace enjoyed by David, his father, in the eyes of God.

To achieve the heights of his opulence, Solomon had asked for things that would enable him to be a blessing to others: “…Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge these great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:6-9)

In this passage, apart from “you” and “your” – two words that draw attention away from the self – one other word that recurs the most is “people.” Solomon positioned himself in the favour of God by seeking ways to cater to what matters most to God – people. And God gave him more than he asked so that he could adequately fulfill his desire.

But then, his focus changed, and with that his agenda; and he started to displease God. For someone who was eager to receive an endowment from God that would make him more useful to people and serve them veritably in his capacity as their ruler, once he had it, the deceitfulness of the riches he had and the pleasures of life that he could afford started getting to him, and not in a good way too. They started derailing his attention and focus from the people he was so passionate about.

Riches and wealth and the distraction that comes with them turned him into something else, an unrecognisable entity totally different from the naive youth who was so eager to obey the commands of his father, please his God and serve his people. Now, how do we know that?

To be concluded tomorrow…

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:

• The Secret of the Wealth of King Solomon (1)
• The Master’s Vow
• Blockage Removed!