Core Ingredients of Biblical Leadership

1 Kings 3:7–9 ESV

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your 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 your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

Solomon’s prayer grows out of His recognition of three things:

1. He freely admits and recognizes that God is the cause of his rise to power: No doubt the obvious didn’t escape Solomon that there were other family members perhaps better suited for, equipped, and better liked by the religious establishment and tribal leaders than an illegitimet child has to the throne.

1. He freely admits and recognizes that God is the cause of his rise to power: No doubt the obvious didn’t escape Solomon that there were other family members perhaps better suited for, equipped, and better liked by the religious and military establishment as well as the tribal leaders than an illegitimate child has to the throne. Solomon recognizes God’s sovereignty over the events in .

1. He freely admits and recognizes that God is the cause of his rise to power: No doubt the obvious didn’t escape Solomon that there were other family members perhaps better suited for, equipped, and better liked by the religious and military establishment as well as the tribal leaders than an illegitemet child has to the throne. Solomon recognizes God’s sovereignty over the events in .

Key Take-Aways:

2. He recognizes that he is NOT qualified to meet all the demands of the “job” of leading Israel and dealing with all the complexities of the job - within Israel and beyond or outside of Israel politically with other nations: Whether Solomon is voicing the obvious or reflecting his own inner self-givings and poor self-image the reality is he feels unprepared to take the reigns of leadership from historic figures like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and David.

We’d do wise to look at events with a greater understanding of and recognicition of God’s Sovereignity played out in the day to day matters of our own lives and our organizitional life together.

There is also this ever-present undercurrent at play that he, Solomon, doesn’t come to the table with the fame, reputation, or popular following his father David had. He doesn’t even have the personality of his father to aid him. David had earned the right to lead and had incredible influence over men who were more skilled in battle and accomplished even greater feats than David had (see the listing of David’s mighty men and their accomplishments in ????). Solomon correctly describes himself and his skill set, capabilities and qualifications for this level of leadership as unqualified - look for someone else! Solomon describes himself as a small child who does not know “how to carry out my duties.” This last statement in Hebrew literally says, “I do not know how to go and come,” an idiom referring to the skills of leadership (cf. ; ; ; , ; ; ).

We’d show ourselves wise if we’d truly live each day with the knowledge that we are ill suited for the position we are in if not for God. Therefore we rely upon Him daily for decision making, leading, understanding, power to change things, and comprehension of His desire in all things.

2. He recognizes that he is NOT qualified to meet all the demands the “job” of leading Israel requires nor its complexities - within Israel and outside of Israel politically with other nations: Whether Solomon is voicing the obvious or reflecting his own inner self-givings and poor self-image. The reality - he knows and acteuly feels unprepared to take the reigns of leadership from his father let alone walk in the shoes of historic figures like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel.

Key Take-Aways:

In contrast to his own personal and experiential lack of stature, Solomon must lead a people whose greatness is first measured by the fact that they were chosen by God. Solomon now becomes the head of the nation once led by Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and David. According to , he must embody God’s standards for the people. Israel’s greatness is also measured by its growing population. Solomon senses that perhaps old ways of governing may not meet the curre nt needs of his subjects.

3. He recognizes that he doesn’t possess the capabilities either to lead lead: Given the magnitude of his responsibilty and that he was taking over the leaadership of a people chosen bu God and whom the likes of Abraham, Moses, and recently David his father led werehuge shoes to fill. Only a braggard would not be overwhelmed and walk into this situation without fear and trembling that you’ll screw it up. personal dilemma, Solomon requests “a discerning heart.” This phrase literally means “a listening heart” or “an obedient heart.” In the Old Testament “hearing” and “obeying” come from the same word, a linguistic trait with practical implications. Only those who obey authority figures have really heard them. Solomon must obey the Lord by keeping God’s commands in order for his heart to be prepared to lead others. This listening to God will also enable him to listen to others.

Lack of Personal Experience: Solomon hadn’t seen any actual battles or participated in any or lead men into battle. A nation at peace was David’s legacy. David had earned the right to lead and had incredible influence over men who were more skilled in battle and accomplished even greater feats than David had (see the listing of David’s mighty men and their accomplishments in ????). Solomon didn’t carry into his “job” a level of influence earned by reputation and accomplishments. Personal knowledge of this could effect his judgement, and decision making if not held in check by a more powerful knowledge - that God had selected him to serve as king. Nothing more matter in the mind of men and the will of God.

We’d do wise to look at events with a greater understanding of and recognition of God’s Sovereignty played out in the day to day matters of our own lives and our organizational life together.

Solomon’s desire for an obedient, listening heart is based on his wish to administer justice in Israel. Justice can only emerge when the king is able “to distinguish between right and wrong” (lit., “good and evil”). Justice can become a quite complicated goal, as 3:16–28 proves. Only knowledge of what God considers fair and unfair can guide the king to act justly with any consistency. Though Solomon has already exhibited political craftiness, he knows that long-term wisdom and success reside where David found it—in an ongoing relationship with the Lord.1

We’d show ourselves wise if we’d truly live each day with the knowledge that we are ill suited for the position we are in if not for God. Therefore we rely upon Him daily for decision making, leading, understanding, power to change things, and comprehension of His desire in all things.

Lack of Popular & Peer Support: There is also this ever-present undercurrent at play that he, Solomon, doesn’t come to the table with the fame, reputation, or popular following his father David had. He doesn’t even have the personality of his father to aid him. Nor does he demonstrate his father’s skill of negotiation and compromise with opponents and allies to build a coliation of the willing.

2. He recognizes that he is NOT qualified to meet all the demands the “job” of leading Israel requires nor its complexities - within Israel and outside of Israel politically with other nations: Whether Solomon is voicing the obvious or reflecting his own inner self-givings and poor self-image. The reality - he knows and acutely feels unprepared to take the reigns of leadership from his father let alone walk in the shoes of historic figures like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel.

Lack of Skills & Capabilities: He recognizes that he doesn’t possess the capabilities either to lead: Given the magnitude of his responsibility and that he was taking over the leadership of a people chosen by God and whom the likes of Abraham, Moses, and recently David his father led were huge shoes to fill. Only a braggard would not be overwhelmed and walk into this situation without fear and trembling that you’ll screw it up. Solomon correctly describes himself and his skill set, lack of capabilities and qualifications for this level of leadership as unqualified - look for someone else! Solomon describes himself as a small child who does not know “how to carry out my duties.” This last statement in Hebrew literally says, “I do not know how to go and come,” an idiom referring to the skills of leadership (cf. ; ; ; , ; ; ).

8 8 The verb here (הִמְלַכְתָּ) is in the hiphil, or causative, stem. Solomon recognizes God’s sovereignty over all the events in .

Lack of Spiritual Pedigree: According to , Solomon, as king, must embody God’s standards for the people. His leadership is anchored in modeling a spirituality and closeness with God that breeds confidence and cooperation with otherwise fractious individuals and competing agenda’s for the nation future and identity (organization)Israel’s greatness is also measured by its growing population. Solomon senses that perhaps old ways of governing may not meet the current needs of his subjects.

Lack of Personal Experience: Solomon hadn’t seen any actual battles or participated in any or lead men into battle. A nation at peace was David’s legacy. David had earned the right to lead and had incredible influence over men who were more skilled in battle and accomplished even greater feats than David had (see the listing of David’s mighty men and their accomplishments in ????). Solomon didn’t carry into his “job” a level of influence earned by reputation and accomplishments. Personal knowledge of this could effect his judgement, and decision making if not held in check by a more powerful knowledge - that God had selected him to serve as king. Nothing more matter in the mind of men and the will of God.

9 9 Solomon uses the term נַעַר קָטֹן, which can refer to a dependent child (cf. ; ) or to a youth not yet fully responsible for his own financial support (; ). Jeremiah uses similar phrasing in . Solomon acknowledges his utter dependence on God here.

According to , he must embody God’s standards for the people. Israel’s greatness is also measured by its growing population. Solomon senses that perhaps old ways of governing may not meet the current needs of his subjects.

Lack of Popular & Peer Support: There is also this ever-present undercurrent at play that he, Solomon, doesn’t come to the table with the fame, reputation, or popular following his father David had. He doesn’t even have the personality of his father to aid him. Nor does he demonstrate his father’s skill of negotiation and compromise with opponents and allies to build a coalition of the willing.

Lack of Selflessness as a Core Characteristic of Life: Unlike David or Moses, Samuel, Abraham Solomon didn’t arm himself with a selfless attitude towards his job or others. David demonstrated selflessness in giving away all his wealth to the building project of the Temple; how he goveerned and ruled was with an eye towards what was best for the people of God and reflected God’s desires for His people. David was always acutely aware of God’s agenda and striving towaqredds fiulfilling it as he understood it.

Lack of Skills & Capabilities: He recognizes that he doesn’t possess the capabilities either to lead: Given the magnitude of his responsibility and that he was taking over the leadership of a people chosen by God and whom the likes of Abraham, Moses, and recently David his father led were huge shoes to fill. Only a braggart would not be overwhelmed and walk into this situation without fear and trembling that you’ll screw it up. Solomon correctly describes himself and his skill set, lack of capabilities and qualifications for this level of leadership as unqualified - look for someone else! Solomon describes himself as a small child who does not know “how to carry out my duties.” This last statement in Hebrew literally says, “I do not know how to go and come,” an idiom referring to the skills of leadership (cf. ; ; ; , ; ; ).

10 10 The Greek OT translates לִשְׁמַע, which makes שׁמע an infinitive like the next two verbal forms.

Key Take-Aways:

Solomon requests “a discerning heart.” This phrase literally means “a listening heart” or “an obedient heart.”

In the Old Testament “hearing” and “obeying” come from the same word, a linguistic trait with practical implications. Only those who obey authority figures have really heard them. Solomon must obey the Lord by keeping God’s commands in order for his heart to be prepared to lead others. This listening to God will also enable him to listen to others.

Lack of Spiritual Pedigree: According to , Solomon, as king, must embody God’s standards for the people. His leadership is anchored in modeling a spirituality and closeness with God that breeds confidence and cooperation with otherwise fractious individuals and competing agenda’s for the nation future and identity (organization)Israel’s greatness is also measured by its growing population. Solomon senses that perhaps old ways of governing may not meet the current needs of his subjects.

Solomon’s desire for an obedient, listening heart is based on his wish to administer justice in Israel. Justice can only emerge when the king is able “to distinguish between right and wrong” (lit., “good and evil”). Justice can become a quite complicated goal, as 3:16–28 proves. Only knowledge of what God considers fair and unfair can guide the king to act justly with any consistency. Though Solomon has already exhibited political craftiness, he knows that long-term wisdom and success reside where David found it—in an ongoing relationship with the Lord.1

Lack of Selflessness as a Core Characteristic of Life: Unlike David or Moses, Samuel, Abraham Solomon didn’t arm himself with a selfless attitude towards his job or others. David demonstrated selflessness in giving away all his wealth to the building project of the Temple; how he governed and ruled was with an eye towards what was best for the people of God and reflected God’s desires for His people. David was always acutely aware of God’s agenda and striving towards fulfilling it as he understood it. Solomon doesn’t seem to approach his job with this core characteristic required for effective leadership of others. Solomon instead seems to feels everyone is there to serve him and his view of what God’s will is - i.e. huge expensive building projects that serve no one except his growing prestige and reputation, his palace that is 3x’s larger than the Temple and 3x’s more expensive, his taxes to support building projects he feels are required, his over control of the districts throughout Israel for overzealous governing of the people. When we organizationally forget that we are fundamentally leading others entrusted to us and their contribution to His agenda and instead feel they serve the greater “good” of the organization or more intactly our interpretation of God’s will we will find our leadership short lived or inconsequential in the greater scheme of God’s purposes.

9 Solomon uses the term נַעַר קָטֹן, which can refer to a dependent child (cf. ; ) or to a youth not yet fully responsible for his own financial support (; ). Jeremiah uses similar phrasing in . Solomon acknowledges his utter dependence on God here.

Key Take-Aways:

9 9 Solomon uses the term נַעַר קָטֹן, which can refer to a dependent child (cf. ; ) or to a youth not yet fully responsible for his own financial support (; ). Jeremiah uses similar phrasing in . Solomon acknowledges his utter dependence on God here.

Solomon requests “a discerning heart.” This phrase literally means “a listening heart” or “an obedient heart.”

In the Old Testament “hearing” and “obeying” come from the same word, a linguistic trait with practical implications. Only those who obey authority figures have really heard them. Solomon must obey the Lord by keeping God’s commands in order for his heart to be prepared to lead others. This listening to God will also enable him to listen to others.

Solomon’s desire for an obedient, listening heart is based on his wish to administer justice in Israel. Justice can only emerge when the king is able “to distinguish between right and wrong” (lit., “good and evil”). Justice can become a quite complicated goal, as 3:16–28 proves. Only knowledge of what God considers fair and unfair can guide the king to act justly with any consistency. Though Solomon has already exhibited political craftiness, he knows that long-term wisdom and success reside where David found it—in an ongoing relationship with the Lord.1

9 Solomon uses the term נַעַר קָטֹן, which can refer to a dependent child (cf. ; ) or to a youth not yet fully responsible for his own financial support (; ). Jeremiah uses similar phrasing in . Solomon acknowledges his utter dependence on God here.

Passage that says “wisdom is shown by her fruit”

My seven prayer requests to God: wisdom, discernment, courage, patience, love, favor, and anointing

Passage that says “wisdom is shown by her fruit”

My seven prayer requests to God: wisdom, discernment, courage, patience, love, favor, and anointing