We all know that the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God are very different things. While the world can debate about what is right and what is wrong, we know that God’s standard is right, and everything else is wrong. Issues such as abortion and homosexuality are contentious and often debated in our increasingly liberal society today. However, knowing the wisdom of God and that He is always right will led us to the right conclusion – one that is given by God, and not weighed by our human minds to be the conclusion that “makes the most sense”.

The story of King Solomon shows us the importance of knowing and following God’s wisdom over that of the worlds. While we know of King Solomon as the wisest king, what we often forget is that King Solomon had first asked God to help him be a good king. His priorities were turned towards wanting to be good in the eyes of God, and not good in the eyes of man. He requested: “Now, Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9) Pleased with King Solomon, God wanted to bless him and asked for what blessing he would like. Solomon’s request for wisdom then came, and God gave Solomon wisdom.

Another oft-forgotten part of Solomon’s story is that God gave Solomon wisdom not by giving him perfect photographic memory or by giving him the ability to invent math formulas to solve the world’s problems. Such would constitute worldly intelligence or wisdom. Instead, God made Solomon’s heart “wise and discerning” (1 Kings 3:12), so that he would have “discernment in administering justice” (1 Kings 3:11). God told him to do so by walking in obedience to Him, and obeying His commandments. Truly, the only way to understanding God and receiving His wisdom is to obey Him. Our God is the wisest of all, and the one who’s decisions will always be correct. We always have to remember that “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12).

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Before making any decision based on our own, worldly versions of “wisdom” and our judgement of what is “best”, we should always turn to God, remembering that it is His wisdom which is superior, His wisdom makes the wisdom of the world foolish in comparison.