Once there was a young king who asked for only one thing from his God. He asked for wisdom. One day it happed that two mothers were sleeping with their babes after nursing and behold in the night one mother found her child smothered and dead beneath her breast. She arose from her bed going to the other mother to switch the children. She lay her dead child beneath the other mother as she slept and took the sleeping child to lay with her till dawn’s break.
When the mother of the child stolen awoke, she found what she thought was her child beneath her dead. But upon further investigation she realized the child was not her own. Of course this created a great argument in the house and the matter was brought before the new young king.
The king, sitting judgement, had to decide what was best to settle this matter. On one hand he had a mother who’s child was really dead and on the other hand he had a mother who’s child was still alive. Both mothers claimed the living child; both the true mother and the deceiver. After much argument, the young king decided what was best for the child. He called for a sword to be brought to him. He informed the mothers he would cut the child in half so both would get at least something from this situation.
Upon hearing the judgment from the king, the deceiver agreed this was the best course of action for misery loves company. But the mother of the living child said no, let the other woman have the child if it means he would live. It was by this confession did the king reveal the true mother of the living child for that mother would rather her child go to the lying mother than face the king’s judgement of death. The king granted the mother her child and all of the kingdom was in awe of the king’s wisdom. The whole kingdom feared the king for the wisdom of God that was in him.
This familiar story is in fact the story of King Solomon and the two harlots from 1 Kings 3:16-28. Wisdom is a wonderful thing all Christians should strive for.
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