Solomon: Wisdom Undermined by Excess

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Solomon was seen to be a man of great wisdom and understanding (1 Kings 4:29-30) yet by the end of his life one wonders how such a man could come to such a complicated end. There are two vital observations where one would find the answer. The first observation regards Solomon directly while the second observation begins with Solomon and projects forward with a principle that any man or woman should heed. First, Solomon was untested. He “grew up in the royal palace in Jerusalem, witnessed the intrigues of his half-brothers . . . and saw his father restored from exile. He never experienced the hardship that had forged his father into a godly leader.” (Howell 2003, 102) One point of contrast regarding the handling of hardship is seen in Solomon’s father David’s quick and deep repentances against the absence of repentance in Solomon’s life altogether. Second, “wisdom is not a spiritual reservoir that guarantees spiritual success: obedience alone would secure personal and national blessing (3:14). Wisdom sought and received is not the same as wisdom developed and applied.” (Howell 2003, 104). The record shows that Solomon developed the habit of taking care of himself first. Though he demonstrated wisdom, he was distracted by how people responded to his wise rule.

Leadership lessons learned from Solomon have timeless application.
  • The leader needs to manage himself before he can manage others. Hardship in its many forms is the crucible where spiritual, emotional, physical, intuitional and mental (rational) growth occurs.
  • The leader must beware the slippery slope of compromise. “The incremental compromise of convictions began with small steps” (Howell 2003, 111) that ultimately led to a concession of participation and misdirected affection. 
  • The leader must his talent and position to instill value in people, not in products or projects. His projects must be his people and those whom they collectively serve. 

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Howell Jr., Donald N. 2003. Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

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