I Kings 10:7 …Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.
All of us have probably known a smart person who did not have common sense, a rich person who did not seem to know how to use his money well, or an athletic person who seemed to squander the health that he had. All of us would like to have more than we have, more wisdom, more strength, and more money.
King Solomon was a man who seemed to have a lot of everything. This was so notable that I Kings 10:1 says, “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.” Here was another monarch who had heard of the fame and wealth of Solomon, and she came to prove him with hard questions. He answered so well and so wisely that she had “no more spirit in her.” She acknowledged that it was “a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.” Then she goes on to say, “Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”
Which would you rather have, wisdom or prosperity? Sometimes we think that it doesn’t matter how much wisdom we have, we just wish we had more money so we wouldn’t have to think too hard and could just enjoy life. In Ecclesiastes we are reminded that all the wisdom and money in the world without the right perception of and relationship to God is empty and useless. But, we can learn that Solomon did not just have wealth, he had wisdom, and one without the other is useless. Better than riches is the wisdom to use what you have well.
Better than the skill to gain a lot is the skill to use what you have well. Maybe today you wish you had more money than you do. Why not ask God for the wisdom to use what you do have well? Perhaps you wish for more time than you have today. Why not ask God for the wisdom to use the time you do have well? Maybe you wish you had more health. Why not ask God to help you to make good use of whatever health you may have?
In the end, God holds us accountable for how we use what we have, and that is why having wisdom is more valuable than simply having more.