A Wise Ruling
1Kings 3: [16] Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. [17] One of them said, “My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. [18] The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
[19] “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. [20] So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. [21] The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
[22] The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
[23] The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
[24] Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. [25] He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
[26] The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
[27] Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
[28] When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
1. What was the lady who lied thinking?
Her loss was softened by a replacement she did not birth.
Her lies were formed to protect her position. (Mother)
Her agreement for half a dead son was based on her happiness rather than the boys life. She would rather him be dead than someone else to be happier than her.
She represented selfishness!
2. What was the lady whose son was stolen thinking?
She was robbed of that which she loved the most.
She was willing to fight for the possession that was hers.
She was willing to allow her son to go to the home of the evil woman to give him the opportunity to live.
She represents selflessness!
3. What was King Solomon thinking with his decision?
How do you decide what is right when all sides make a good argument?
In leadership some of the hardest decisions can appear to be the cruelest ones.
Courage is needed to trust that truth and righteousness will prevail in the darkest of moments.
He represents the Holy Spirits wisdom in leadership.
