A very rough first day...

What does it take to trust someone? Well, the answer depends upon what is at risk by doing so. For example, trustworthiness needs demonstrated proof in spousal relationships where our personal wellbeing is at stake. On the other hand, we trust a new company leader by assuming their qualifications until they prove untrustworthy.

But that’s here and now. Though the spousal example probably hasn’t changed much over time and place, leaders are different. If elected officials merit a similar trust (ideally), there is no such luxury for dictators, tyrants, fascists, etc., and even monarchs. It’s hard to trust someone who controls by force, like the first three, but neither does hereditary succession by itself qualify one to lead.

It was the same for Solomon, the new King of Israel (see 1 Kings 3:16-28) who almost blew it as soon as he took over the nation’s ‘reigns.’ If you’ve heard the phrase, “he’s as wise as Solomon,” he was that “Solomon,” and he was most wise, though no one, not even Solomon, knew it yet. You see, there was a dicey judicial case awaiting him that the lower courts could not resolve, or to be more blunt, that no one else in all of Israel could figure it out. Oy vey!

I think this story is about more than Solomon, though, and how wise he was. I think it shows us how to trust God; we just need a little more detail to see that. Here are the deets of the case:

• Two women living in the same house gave birth to boys within a few days of each other.

• When one of the boys died one night, his mother switched the babies while the other woman slept.

• Upon waking up, the second mother could tell that the deceased child was not hers.

• The first mother denied the accusations and with no witnesses or other evidence, the case rested on each mother’s impassioned testimony.

The “impossible” case before Solomon… to which of the two frantic women did the surviving boy belong? Maybe there was less at stake, but having tried to arbitrate too many clothing disputes between my teenage daughters, if I’m Solomon, I’m running away as fast as I can! The problem we both had was a lack of proof. (I did prove, though, that I was not as wise as Solomon.) Let’s see how he handled it.

With all eyes on him, Solomon had to make a ruling. It probably seemed even more unsolvable after hearing the women’s arguments, for anyone not “as wise as Solomon,” that is. Even so, what he did next probably had the people wondering if impeachment had been invented yet. He called his attendant into the court and told him to cut the living child in half and give one part to each mother. Ca-Ra-Zeeeee…!

“Yay,” (the first woman may have said), “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!” (she did say). But the second woman would have none of it: “Give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” Their reactions revealed the second woman as the true mother and Solomon awarded her the child, in one piece. 

That was a pretty wise tactic, but his wisdom did not end there. Matthew Henry, in his commentary of 1 Kings, wrote that Solomon probably already knew who the true mother was by their countenance during the brief trial. Still, he did not stop the trial to make his ruling even though the case would have been rightfully settled. He knew that if he had, two things could have happened-

• The case would have been rightfully settled but, without evidence, it would not have been popularly settled. Since people meddled then, too, the ensuing protests could have divided the kingdom if Solomon had not suggested dividing the child.

• And his wisdom would not have been credited without “proving” the case by the women’s reactions. It was not an ego thing, but the people needed to have a reason to trust him and the demonstration proved that they had a most wise king looking out for them.

As Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) might say, that is some “preeettyyyy, preeettyyyy, preeettyyyy good” wisdom.

Even so, it is STILL not the point. That, I believe, is that without undeniable evidence as proof, wisdom is left to find truth. And that is why I believe this story of Solomon’s first day on the job helps us trust in God. I mean, if wisdom finds truth, aren’t we describing faith? Doubting God’s existence because ‘we have no proof’ that He is who He says He is makes us like the not-wise-enough judges in this story. A need for evidence separates us from a trusting relationship with God.

The thing is, there is no lack of evidence, there is only lack of faith. There is only lack of wisdom. Jesus was put to death on the cross for our sins and it was no faux-threat like Solomon’s. He was healed in the tomb for our salvation and only our lack of faith, our lack of wisdom, prevents us from accepting it.

Yet despite faith being enough, proof is still not invisible. When we find the truth by faith, “A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.” (Ecclesiastes 8:1, a bit of wisdom courtesy of King Solomon, by the way).

Solomon gave more than just his word to Israel. He cared so much for his people that he would even threaten a child’s life so that they could trust him. Christ cares so much for you and for me, His Israel, that He also gave more than His Word. He gave His own life so that we would trust in Him. Can’t we be wise enough to do so?