I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Aladdin. A genie showed up and granted him three wishes. Then those wishes led to riches and power. I can relate to that sort of story. I can relate to that dream.
But it’s interesting, because the same sort of story happens in the Bible. It wasn’t three wishes, though. It was one. And Solomon could ask for anything he wanted from God, and it would be his. Solomon asked for wisdom.
What?! I can’t relate to that. Yes, it was the right choice. But frankly, even knowing the story and the fact that it was the right decision, I’d probably still wish for Aladdin’s things if God asked me what I wanted. What made Solomon so wise that he asked for wisdom?
Reading in the story of David, Solomon’s father, I saw a story that indicated to me what it might have been. David wanted to build a temple for God during his lifetime, but God told him he couldn’t. He said that Solomon, his son would build it.
And rather than just wait for his son to adopt the project, David began preparing the materials for the temple while Solomon was still young. He gathered massive amounts of wealth, then he showed the boy. “This is all for building the temple. I can’t do it, but you can.” (1 Chronicles 22)
Holy cow, that’s a lot of pressure to feel as a kid. But talk about a calling on your life! Talk about self esteem! Talk about responsibility!
I believe Solomon had a vision for his life at a young age, and he knew what he lacked. He knew only wisdom could help him achieve the responsibility his dad had given him. He inherited a dream to do something great in partnership with God.
I wonder if that’s the sort of thing parents should do for their kids. Not about building an inheritance so their lives will be comfortable. It’s not about letting them explore what they want to be. It’s about passing down a responsibility and a calling from God that gives them vision for their lives.
Certainly we shouldn’t force children into our own dream. But I wonder if we should start laying a mantle of responsibility to God on them early in life. I wonder if that might set more children on a path toward wisdom, and not just a desire for wealth and power.
I don’t claim to know the answers to this. But I wonder if there might be something there…
I think this could make such a difference for children! I know for a fact I’d want to help my children have a vision early on for what their lives could look like. It helps them stay the course, it encourages them when temptation and peer pressure wants them to get off the road of their lives. It helps them discipline with a pay off. If the parents do it right, it could be the vision of their partnership with God the thing that makes a difference in their lives, knowing God is not just someone you owe something to but the best alliance they could have within their lifetime.
Exactly! 🙂