Bec and Asa chatted with Pastor Brian Harris about the value of wisdom.
Brian began by saying that wisdom has particular connotations when it comes to the bible.
“There is a difference between knowing and a difference between doing,” he said.
He went on to compare Albert Einstein to people in the bible like Solomon.
“I think that Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived,” said Brian, referring to 1 Kings 3. Solomon had just been made the king of Israel.
“We often say that Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived, yet was both wise and foolish. It reminds us that sometimes the Bible portrays people in complicated ways.”
Heroes of the Bible
The bible has an extraordinary nature of detailing heroes with flaws and villains with virtues.
“Solomon was a very successful king, but in the end, he was a very disappointing king,” said Brian. “God gave him wisdom, answered his prayer that he made in 1 Kings chapter 3,” said Brian.
When Solomon was brought a baby, with two mothers who both claimed the baby was theirs, he suggested cutting the baby in two so they could each have half. With this wise act, he was able to determine the mother based on each woman’s reaction.
“Solomon was extraordinarily smart, it’s extremely wise to have been able to recognize that that’s how you could solve that otherwise impossible dilemma. And he goes on and he does many things that are really smart when he’s king. And the nation flourishes, he builds the temple, he builds a palace, the nation becomes very wealthy, it has a time of peace.”
Solomon Disappointed God
Even with his wisdom, Solomon still disappointed God.
“He chose women that led him astray through worship of different gods. They divided his time and took him away from God,” said Pastor Brian.
The kingdom’s split caused the end of his reign and the start of his son Rehoboam’s reign.
“He says to the people, if you thought that life was difficult under my father Solomon, it’s going to be even worse under me,” said Pastor Brian.
Blind Spots
“Though he was wise and smart about how things could get done, he had blind spots when it came to women. He also had blind spots when it came to ordinary people. How far you can push them and just use them, and the need to encourage people as well.
Pastor Brian wanted to remind everyone that although people can be smart, we all have blind spots and great intelligence should be paired with humility in order to help us to see them.
Check out the full chat with Pastor Brian Harris below.