I Kings 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
If I were to ask you, “Who was the wisest man who ever lived?” I think you might say, “Solomon.” Indeed, Solomon was an extremely wise man. Yet, you may well know that Solomon had over 700 wives in his harem! How wise is that? You are telling me that Solomon is the wisest man who ever lived and that he had more than 700 wives? That is confusing!
The Bible tells us that Solomon prayed to God for wisdom, and that God answered his prayer. If you look at Solomon’s prayer for wisdom, you realize that Solomon did not just ask God for wisdom generally. He asked for a very specific kind. He asked God to give him the wisdom to govern his people well. Solomon said, “I am but a child. I do not know how to govern. Give me an understanding heart to judge Your people.” The next several chapters are numerous illustrations of how God answered that prayer.
So, God gives wisdom and God gives us the kind of wisdom for which we ask. Solomon had asked for wisdom to govern God’s people well. God answered that prayer. If Solomon had asked for wisdom to be a wise husband, I think God would have answered that prayer as well.
Solomon was the wisest leader and king who has ever lived. He obviously was not the wisest person who has ever lived. We can learn something from this wise king who made such a miserable failure of his own home while making a grand success of his kingdom. We can learn that all the wisdom in the world to lead others is insufficient if you will not govern yourself.
If you are a preacher, I hope God will give you great skill in preaching, but may God help you to live a life that is virtuous, honorable, and God-dependent. I think it is marvelous if you are a coach and you can teach others to train physically, but may God help you to be a good steward of your body. If you are a teacher, I hope you are a good teacher, but I hope that God will give you the wisdom to learn and be teachable in your own heart and life.
In short, those who would have the wisdom to lead others should first seek the wisdom to govern themselves.