May 2, 2016

“Do not exchange your dignity for popularity.”  ~ Steve Maraboli

1 KINGS 3-5

Solomon asks for wisdom and God grants him this request and far more...

7“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. 8Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9So 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?”

10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

LUKE 23:1-26

Pilate wants to release Jesus but the crowds demand he be crucified...

20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

23But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

JOURNAL

Success in our culture is usually measured in what the masses think...whether they approve or not.  Here we find that Pilate succumbs to the same pressure...it's all about pleasing the masses rather than following God.  

Solomon on the other hand, requested wisdom rather than public support or wealth.  In the case of Solomon...public support followed dedication and obedience to God.  The point of it all though is that you can't trick God or use him to secretly get what you want.  Jesus and his disciples obeyed God and were killed for it.  Solomon followed God and was rewarded immensely.   

With God...you never know what obedience will get you in this life.  It may be wealth and notoriety, it may be ridicule and death.  The point though is that obedience and God's love have to be an end in and of themselves.  The reward has to be God's love and the promises of life after...never earthly wealth and blessing.

4You adulterous people,^a don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)