Ask for a listening heart
Read in your Bible: 1 Kings 2–3.
Solomon's reign begins with unsettled power and serious judgments. When God invites his request, Solomon asks for understanding to govern the people. The case of the two women then shows why discernment matters in the lives of people without public influence.
Leadership is not made wise merely by inheriting a title. Solomon's request recognises dependence, though the surrounding history warns against making every royal act exemplary. Wisdom should help us hear people well and protect life rather than display cleverness.
Before handling a difficult matter, ask what you do not yet understand. Listen especially to those whose situation is easy to reduce to a convenient category. Seek the wisdom to serve rather than the pleasure of being seen as the person with the answer.
Related reading and source notes.
Read the Bible passage first. These notes identify related Ellen G. White chapters; a related reading is not a claim that she wrote this interpretation. Any direct quotations are marked separately. The explanations and applications are The Earl Project’s own.
1Prophets and Kings · Chapter 1—SolomonPK, chapter 1
White's chapter on Solomon is related reading on his early humility, request for wisdom and responsibility to govern God's people.
Read alongside: 1 Kings 2–3
Read the original chapter on EGW Writings ↗A question to sit with
Where do I need to listen before presenting an answer?
Ask two careful questions before giving advice about someone else's difficult situation.
Let us pray
Wise God, give me a listening heart. Help me recognise my limits, hear those affected by my decisions and seek understanding that protects life and serves people well. Amen.
Your quiet reflection
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An original interpretation from The Earl Project, written from an Adventist understanding of Scripture. It is not an official church publication. Read alongside the beliefs that inform these reflections. Scripture quoted from the King James Version. Ellen G. White sources are cited separately from The Earl Project’s original interpretation.