9 So give Your servant an obedient heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil.
1 Kings 3:9 HCSB
Solomon is known for his wisdom. Perhaps the most famous story which illustrates his wisdom is of his offering to cut an infant in half to appease two quarreling mothers who both claim the child. The woman who offers to give up the baby rather than have him cut in half is ultimately deemed to be the real mother and given custody of the child.
According to 1 Kings, Solomon's wisdom was a gift from God. When asked by God in a dream what he wanted, Solomon did not ask for "did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies", but instead requested an "obedient heart". Most translations record Solomon's request was for an "understanding" or "discerning" heart. The Holman Christian Standard Bible is the only translation I found that used the adjective "obedient".
As I pondered the use of "obedient" it dawned on me that with out obedience, all else is doomed to fail. If Solomon has just requested understanding or discernment without obedience, then his wisdom would have been wasted. How often does God grant us discernment in a particular situation, but we still select to disobey? Just because we know what is the right thing to do, does not always mean we will choose the right thing.
Take a look back at Adam and Eve. They both had a wise and discerning heart. Lack of knowledge of the Tree of Good and Evil was not the issue. It was an obedience issue. Yes, we should pray for godly wisdom and insight, but that must be accompanied with an "obedient heart".
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