Compromise

“For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4).

The Judgement of Solomon (Frans Floris)

I have been reflecting on the story of Solomon in the Old Testament.  Solomon was the son of King David and Bethsheba.  And David married Bethsheeba by first watching her bathe, coveting her and envying her husband, having her husband positioned so that he would die in battle and then taking Bethsheba as his wife.  Solomon was the child born of this sort of sin.  And yet – he was also evidence that despite any sin, God can turn anything to the good…

In the beginning Solomon asked God for understanding and wisdom.  “Give your servant therefore

an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9).  Here he shows that in the beginning he was a Godly and humble man.  And God gave Solomon the wisdom that allows us to say things like – having the wisdom of Solomon…  Solomon was well known for his wisdom and Bethsheba was also redeemed in the story of Solomon’s life as she was considered a great advisor of King Solomon and her wisdom was respected in the court…

But Solomon started to make compromises.  At first it was compromises that were easily explained…  “And King Solomon loved many foreign women…” (1 Kings 11:1).  It is a pattern of behaviour – instead of surrounding himself with women of his own faith, he surrounded himself with people who were not believers of his God…  And King Solomon did this knowing that he could never marry such women…  “You shall not enter into marriage with them…  for surely they will turn away your heart” (1 Kings 11:2).

And still King Solomon decided to deny God and to persist in his own desires…  “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4).

There was no public rejection of Go.  There was no sudden and blinding moment.  Just one day, the damage had been done and the compromise was complete.  Solomon’s problem was not that he could not work out what the right thing to do was, it was that he chose not to do the right thing because he decided to make compromises.  The King who built the temple, also built monuments to other gods for his wives…  his wisdom remained, but he chose to ignore it.  In the end Solomon’s once united kingdom because divided and he died weak and broken when God had wanted him to be strong and whole.

And I have been thinking about that in relation to my own life today.  For it seems to me that I am often making choices that are convenient.  I am often compromising.  And the result of all that compromise is not that I see the instruction of God less clearly, it is that I chose to follow it less often.

And so, though I have long prayed for the wisdom of Solomon, I pray also for the Grace to allow that wisdom to instruct me in all the decisions in my life – the prevent the compromise!  After all, that is what I need to do!

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.