i Kgs. 3:3-14; Eph. 5:15-20; Jn. 6:51-58]
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
An understanding mind.
A discerning heart.
Who of you likes to watch old-fashioned, epic-historical and Biblical movies?
In 1959, United Artists made one such film about the meeting between the Jewish king Solomon and the queen of Sheba (i Kgs. 10:2) in all its technicolour splendour.
At the end of the story, it’s even said the two royals were expecting a child together.
It was a box office hit.
The story of Solomon is one of success.
God himself said that: “...no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.” (12b)
That’s likely why so many people are in awe of the king’s life.
That doesn’t mean the story of Solomon is the story of a perfect man.
Far from it.
Like his father, King David, another great and successful man, often referred to and often set as an example to aspire to, Solomon was flawed.
Growing up in his father’s palace, Solomon was favoured and spoiled; luckily, he seems to have grown up to be a generally nice man and a level-headed monarch, regardless of the rumours surrounding his parents and regardless of his brother vying for the throne.
On the whole, Solomon’s reign was successful: a very famous episode is that of the Judgement of Solomon (i Kgs. 3:16-28) where the King’s wisdom is celebrated.
He’s also credited for ordering the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.
Yet, even wise kings make mistakes, and towards the end of his live, Solomon’s many wives and concubines introduced him to foreign gods, which he also worshiped next to the God of Israel (i Kgs. 11:4).
We don’t need to be as wealthy and even as wise as Solomon to serve God and contribute to the building of God’s kingdom, but we too are called to do our bit.
We were put on this earth to be coworkers with God in Creation.
There’s no reason to be anxious about this; God wants nothing more than to see us joining hands with Him and with each other to work for justice and peace, to create a safe and beautiful world where all people find a place where they can grow and be who God intended them to be.
God wants nothing more than to see us use our gifts to add in our own way to the bigger whole.
In many ways, we all feel insufficient or unworthy at times, too small and too feeble to play our part, too sinful also: those dark emotions and attitudes are the devil’s work, who opposes Creation, who is non-Creation, because God truly believes in our potential, in our ability to contribute to an existence where all people are in harmony with the divine, others and with themselves.
We’re encouraged to use our gifts.
The greatest gift God has given us is grace.
It means that we’re all redeemed out of sheer love.
In Christ, God makes all things right between Him and us.
God justifies us out of sheer love, without any merit of our own.
No need to be scared and worried about our salvation, God has that firmly in hand, we can fully rely on his promises.
Our Father’s in charge of our future, our eternal life, so that we, his children are made free, are made available to strive for a better and a more wholesome present.
Free to serve.
Martin Luther, the German reformer wrote:
“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.” (On Christian liberty, 1520)
We’re made free to work for the greater good.
God gave us an understanding mind, a discerning heart for this often daunting and challenging but yet always rewarding task:
An understanding mind to enjoy life to the fullest, without greed and envy, by letting others enjoy life as well.
A discerning heart to have faith to God and love to our neighbour, to realise that we’re all connected, that we’re all equally important.
An understanding mind to explore and develop our talents and contribute to a World in desperate need of positivity and hope and kindness.
An discerning heart not to be frightened or angry, to respond sensibly and honestly when there’s conflict or disagreement, to acknowledge our own imperfect humanity as well as that of others, and be patient.
An understanding mind not to discriminate against others or exclude them because they’re seemingly different from us, to be open and loving, to acknowledge the divine spark that burns in each of us, to recognise the Holy Spirit moving there.
An discerning heart not to let evil win but to call it out by name and not stand idly by but to denounce it when we can.
An understanding mind and discerning heart to be the unique person we were created to be: there hasn’t been anyone like us before and there shan’t be anyone like us after.
Solomon prayed for the insight to rule his people wisely.
God was so impressed by this request, that he granted Solomon riches and long live as well.
Not all of us are given wealth, not all of us will grow old.
The message of the story is, that like any parent, God is curious, is involved in the choices we make, and when we make a right decision, He’s happy and encourages us even more.
When God redeemed us through his Son Jesus Christ, He created a space of possibilities to use our given gifts in ways we might never have thought of.
When we’re freed from sin and death and despair, we’re invited to refocus on and reinvest in a life that’s bigger than just our own.
An understanding mind.
A discerning heart.
Let’s use it!
And the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ. Amen.