1 Kings 3:4-13
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings upon that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said, “Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to thy servant David my father, because he walked before thee in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward thee; and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.
Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people?”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
Homily:
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
Solomon instinctively understood this. When prompted by God, “Ask what I shall give you”, he asked for an understanding to discern (the ability to fish), not riches, long life or the life of his enemies (fishes).
Interestingly, Solomon was not the first to desire discernment. Eve was the first.
““You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” – Genesis 3:4-5
The difference between Eve and Solomon’s story is that while the serpent offered it to Eve against the will of God, with the promise of being like God, Solomon asked for it in line with the will of God, with the promise of being just to his people.
At every point man desired to be like God, chaos ensued. Remember the tower of Babel.
At every point man desired to be just to his people, he flourished. Remember Abraham.
The intent of desire determines the fruit of desire.