Wisdom WinsSample

Pillar 1: Finances

In 1 Kings 3:15, we are given the opportunity to witness a significant moment in Solomon's life. God rewards Solomon's request for wisdom by giving it in abundance…in addition to riches, fame, and long life.

This moment in Solomon's story gave him access to a life beyond what he could have imagined. It is clear that in choosing wisdom, he chose abundance, incomprehensible blessings, and extreme wealth.

Remember that Solomon was the son of King David, which means he was the successor to the throne. Solomon grew up surrounded by riches, and because of that experience, could have developed an unhealthy appetite for wealth. This appetite is what Solomon warns us about in the book of Proverbs.

Consider these verses:

“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything” (Proverbs 11:24).

“Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time” (Proverbs 13:11).

“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5).

“Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap” (Proverbs 21:6).

These are just a few scriptures that point us to the importance of a healthy and godly view of wealth.

Solomon, in his wisdom, understood that more money wasn’t the solution to the problems he would face—as king or in life—and the same is true for us. He knew that godly wisdom with wealth could bring God glory, but wealth without wisdom could lead to our destruction.

God wants us to be good stewards of our finances, and this is done when we choose to heed godly wisdom in this area, avoiding the pitfalls of being consumed by wealth as Solomon instructs.

Pause and Ponder: Ask yourself what God wants you to learn about His Kingdom view of wealth as you read through the book of Proverbs.