Sermon - The Rev. Leah D. Schade; Reformation Lutheran Church, Media, PA 
August 16, 2009 
“I Dream of Wisdom” 
Texts: First Reading: 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 
Psalm: (read responsively) 111 
Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20 
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32 

Who is the wisest person you know? Take a second and just jot down two 
or three people you have known in the past or present whom you would 
catagorize as wise. The ones you would turn to for advice, for a 
different perspective, for insight into a problem. Someone who 
possessed not just knowledge, but life experience that gave them a 
strength of will and a compassionate heart. Keep those people in mind 
as we go through this sermon. 

If you would have asked that question to someone back in 950 BCE, they 
probably would have answered, “King Solomon.” Solomon was famous for 
his wisdom. People would come from miles around, from distant 
countries, just to hear his ruminations on any manner of subjects 
ranging from philosophy, to the natural world, to very practical 
matters about how to govern a nation. Solomon is credited with writing 
some of the books in the bible, including Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song 
of Songs, and one that is in the apocrypha called The Wisdom of 
Solomon. 

So what, exactly, is wisdom? It’s more than just intelligence, 
although you need intelligence to have wisdom. It’s not just academic 0D 
learning, or technical knowledge or understanding, although you 
sometimes need those to be wise, too. Wisdom is that quality which 
allows a person to see things from different perspectives and angles, 
weighing different options, and having the ability to then choose the 
one that is most prudent. Sometimes wisdom comes with age, whereby 
life experience teaches you how to find solutions to various problems. 
But other people have what is called, “wisdom beyond their years,” an 
intuitive understanding of deep truths that expands their consciousness 
and gives them access to sometimes astounding insights well beyond 
someone of their age. 

Apparently Solomon was of the latter type. He could not have been much 
more than a young man when he first inherited the throne of his father 
David. He even describes himself as a child ignorant of what is 
necessary to rule the numerous nation of Israel. In this way, he was 
very self-aware and could then humble himself before the Lord, asking 
for the wisdom necessary to fulfill his call. This points us to 
another characteristic of a wise person - he or she has self-awareness 
that enables them to be humble, not allowing themselves to be arrogant 
and puffed up with intellect and technical know-how, even if they 
possess such brainpower in spades. Look at the people on your list. 
Would you say they have humble self-awareness? 

So how did Solomon get this=2 
0humble wisdom? Our first picture of 
Solomon shows him worshiping at the altar of the Lord. The text says 
that he loved the Lord and followed in the footsteps of his father, 
David, in keeping God’s commandments. This is very important, because 
it tells us about Solomon’s spiritual orientation. He has respect for 
God. He centers his life around giving glory to the one who created 
all things, exists in all things, and knows all things. He has the 
commandments of God written on his head and his heart. He understands 
that honoring God, and respecting his fellow human beings, is the way 
to follow in the path that God has laid out for us. As Psalm 111 says, 
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear means not just 
being afraid, although there is certainly some trembling we should feel 
when in the presence of the Almighty God. But it is more correctly 
translated as awe and respect. In other words, “Respecting God is the 
beginning of wisdom.” 

So that’s two things we know about wise people - they are humbly 
self-ware, and they have respect for God. Think again about the 
individuals on your list. I would venture to guess that at least one, 
maybe even all of them, have some kind of religious orientation. Not 
necessarily Christian or even regular church-goers, but certainly 
having a healthy respect for God, acknowledging God’s 
presence, and 
orienting their lives around God’s teachings and commandments. 

Because Solomon had a healthy fear and respect for the Creator, the God 
of Israel, he made sure he regularly worshiped God, constantly keeping 
himself aligned to the teachings and commandments of God. Naturally, 
then, when he is about to be inaugurated into his new position as 
David’s successor, he goes into the holy place to sleep in order to 
receive a vision from God - a common practice in the Ancient Near East. 
 God does indeed appear to Solomon and tells him to ask for whatever he 
wishes as he begins his reign. 

And that’s when Solomon makes his request for wisdom. The fact that he 
did not ask for a long life or riches or military and political power 
indicates that Solomon already possessed some innate maturity. Lesser 
men would have jumped at the chance for the immediate pay-off of 
self-satisfaction. But Solomon took the long view, keeping in mind the 
needs of the people who were being entrusted to his care. He did not 
ask for selfish things. He kept his ego in check and instead focused 
on the needs of others. That shows us yet another aspect of being 
wise. Probably the wise people on your list are also the ones with the 
healthiest ego-control, the ones who are genuinely interested in the 
well-being of others, and who are generous with their gift of wisdom. 

So - humility=2 
0through self-awareness, respect for God and selflessness 
- all aspects of a wise person. And there are two more. Solomon asked 
for the ability to discern between good and evil. Sounds a little bit 
like he’s back at the Garden of Eden with that infamous tree, doesn’t 
it? But Solomon is asking not just for knowledge for knowledge’s sake, 
but in order to act on that knowledge appropriately. Because he 
desires to fairly and righteously execute judgment, govern, teach and 
decide controversy among God’s people. This means that Solomon has a 
virtuous moral compass. Because it does no good to anyone but yourself 
if you know the difference between good and evil, but then choose the 
evil. That’s not being wise. That’s being shrewd, conniving and 
manipulative. No, Solomon is morally responsible, willing to take on 
the big issues and take the flak that comes with trying to lead and 
govern a nation. This points us to the fourth aspect of having wisdom 
- having ethical and moral integrity. Look at the people on your list. 
 They each probably top your list as being the most honest and 
incorruptable people you know as well, right? 

So that’s four aspects of wisdom: humility through self-awareness, 
respect for God, selflessness, and ethical and moral integrity. What 
is the fifth and final aspect of wisdom? It’s not explicitly stated in 
this passa 
ge, but if you read further about Solomon’s reign, you will 
find it. It is: non-violence. David reigned through violence and 
war. Solomon was king through non-violent, peaceful wisdom. Wisdom is 
often personified as a “feminine” trait. Indeed, the Greek word for 
wisdom is“sophia” - he feminine aspect of the Divine. A wise person 
will find alternative, creative ways to maintain peace rather than 
using violence and domination. And it is because of the other four 
traits - humility, respect for God, selflessness, and moral/ethical 
integrity, that a wise person is able to live a life and lead others in 
the ways of peace. 

So turn again to your list. Did you need to delete anyone as we went 
along? Did you find yourself adding someone you hadn’t originally 
thought of? I’ll tell you who made my list: my husband, Jim; my 
counselor whose name is Joy; the Bishop of our synod, The Rev. Claire 
Burkat; and Pastor Smoose. As I was writing this sermon, thinking 
through wisdom and what it means to be a wise person, they each stood 
out as being the people to whom I turn when I need wisdom. 

And there is a fifth person, someone who we should all have on our 
lists. The person who is the pure embodiment of all those traits of 
wisdom. The clue is in our gospel reading from Luke: “[The Queen of 
the South] came from the ends of the=2 
0earth to listen to the wisdom of 
Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here!” Who is it? 
Jesus! Everything in Jesus’ life, teachings, healings, miracles, death 
and resurrection emanates this wisdom. He was completely self-aware 
and truly humble. He was so close to God he was called God’s Son. He 
was completely ego-less and generous with his teachings. His moral and 
ethical integrity were beyond compare. And his reign of non-violence 
which led to his crucifixion also revealed the true nature of God in 
the resurrection as a God of Peace. 

So if you haven’t done so yet, write Jesus on your list. Solomon may 
have been the wisest king of Israel, but even he was not impervious to 
the temptations of his position of power. Solomon’s wisdom only got 
him so far, and in fact, led him to forsake the very God who gifted him 
in the first place. In the end, despite his wisdom, Solomon was still 
just a man, and his wisdom could not save him from his mistakes and 
poor choices. 

But Jesus goes one step beyond Solomon. Jesus did not just possess 
wisdom - he was wisdom. Jesus is Wisdom Incarnate, Sophia in the 
flesh. 

So when you are facing those times in life when you are in need of 
self-awareness and humility; or a reorientation to God’s commandments; 
or a check on your own ego; or moral and ethical guidance that will 
lead20you on the path of peace - certainly consult the people on your 
list. But put Jesus at the top of the list when you are in need of 
wisdom. Because Jesus is only a prayer away. And you are just as 
precious in the sight of God as Solomon. So go ahead and pray for 
wisdom, and be assured that God will respond to your prayer. Amen.