A Wise and Understanding Heart

In the Book of Kings chapter 3 we read: 

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

I think all of us have found ourselves at some point in a situation, a project, or with a task at hand that we feel is too difficult for us to complete. Salomon felt that way, it was too difficult for him to serve his people since they were too many and he wanted to do things right so that’s why he asked the Lord for wisdom and help. The Lord was very pleased since he didn’t ask for blessings for himself but asked to be able to bless others. While more worldly people would have asked for power, money or a long life, he asked for wisdom to help others. The Lord was very pleased with him because of that.

At the beginning of his reign Solomon demonstrated that he had received wisdom when two women came to him with a problem. Both of them had had babies recently but one of them had been so careless that her baby died. She then stole the other woman’s child and claimed to be the mother. Then the scriptures say:

 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

We all can receive spiritual gifts like wisdom just like Solomon did. We just need to ask the Lord, and if it is righteous and it is his will for us to receive it then we will possess the gift. We may ask for a kind heart, for faith, for charity, for wisdom and patience, or for the energy to serve others happily. I know that he will answer our prayer.