THE FOOLISHNESS OF A WISE MAN.

Dear Believer,

A wise man who does not apply his wisdom to his own life is no better than a fool. His case is like that of a chef who feeds the whole city but remains hungry.

We see a sad illustration in the life of Solomon the son of King David.

Read the proverbs of Solomon for yourself and you’d wonder at the depth of their profundity. There’s hardly any aspect of life he didn’t have something deep to say about.

The ‘men of the East’ and the Egyptians were reputed for their wisdom, but none of them could hold a candle to Solomon.

And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 1 Kings 4:30-33.

He spoke wise words and wrote songs; he judged among people and wowed kings and queens with his ability to reason beyond the peak of human mental capacity.

Yet, king Solomon failed in things that mattered.

He wrote against adultery and sexual impropriety in general, saying men who indulged in them would get ‘a wound and dishonor.’ (Proverbs 6:32-33). But this wise king never stopped playing close to sexual sins. He amassed for himself 700 wives and 300 concubines. That was crazy, even by the standards of those ancient times.

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. (1 Kings 11:3).

He codified so many wise principles on raising children. The popular saying, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” was from Solomon (See Proverbs 22:6), but he went on to become a very irresponsible father. He raised a brat and put him on the throne, a move that led to a split in the kingdom he inherited, and — which never healed. 

So with all his wisdom, he went against specific instructions given by the God who gave him wisdom! This is to show that a man can receive a gift or a special ability from God and even use it to benefit other people, yet fail totally to help himself with it. He can grievously offend the God who granted him that gift.

Don’t forget that the wisdom of Solomon was given to him by God. When I hear people praying for the wisdom of Solomon, I remind them of the way Solomon ended. Wisdom may indeed be the principal thing, but it is only basic. (Proverbs 4:5-7).

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 1 Kings 21:1-2.

So with all his wisdom, he went against specific instructions given by the God who gave him wisdom! This is to show that a man can receive a gift or a special ability from God and even use it to benefit other people, yet fail totally to help himself with it. He can grievously offend the God who granted him that gift.

Solomon’s wisdom made him great, but he also hurt his own destiny with it.

Dear Believer, you have received gifts from God. He has given you a ministry to this world and His people, but gifts are not enough; you have to develop the fruit of good character called the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22).

Why should a believer, to whom has been give the ‘ministry of reconciliation,’ be the very one to cause division and misunderstandings everywhere? (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Why should you, who help to settle differences between married people as a minister or a professional, be the very one who is bedeviled by the spirit of anger, uttering damaging words at the slightest provocation and heating up your own home every time?

Why should you, a ‘Believer’ whose very nature is to believe the Word of God and great things, be the one to discourage people, run down the efforts of others, belittle people and be the most pessimistic of the group?

Why should the son of a blacksmith lack iron tools?

Why should the royal butler’s child die of hunger?

Solomon was a wise man who acted foolishly in many things that pertained to his personal life. He used his wisdom to bless people yet didn’t apply it to issues that mattered in his own life.

It is not the truth that you have that helps you; it is the truth that you KNOW that makes you free. (See John 8:32).

‘Knowing’ the truth goes beyond mentally accepting it as being incontrovertible. The Jews used the word ‘know’ even to describe a legitimate physical and mental intimacy. Jesus wasn’t merely saying that you’d be made free just because you are aware of the truth. He meant that you should ‘know’ the truth by interacting with ‘it’ to the point of becoming one with ‘it’ and applying ‘it’ to relevant areas of your life. The truth is a Person! (John 14:6).

Do not merely settle for wisdom, or any gift for that matter, even when it is obviously from God. Go for the application of that gift. Apply it to your life, business, relationship, home and so on.

That is the way to profit and growth.

Have a great week!

Your friend,
Deon.