Patiently Point People

God’s favor will be upon you as you fulfill your vows and faithfully follow His ways.

“When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table…and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed…I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes…Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne…Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness…Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones…he gave her more than she had brought to him…King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift”2 Chronicles 9:1-31

Is the life Solomon lived out of reach for the common man or woman? It may be hard to fully imagine the implications of the truth that the same wisdom that made Solomon successful lives in you. The God who made Solomon great can make you great. The God who gave him favor wants to give you favor. Hidden in plain sight within the text are practices and points that can enhance the experience of your life. Solomon sought wisdom above wealth. Solomon trusted God with his resources and desired to do His will by living in a way that honored God. Solomon was far from perfect, especially when it came to relationships with women, but he was very intentional and disciplined in how he lived. We can be too.

When we first read the passage, our eyes could be drawn to the gold. He had a lot of it. Solomon seemingly had everything a person could want and more. When Sheba came, what she saw was a man and people blessed by God. Her response is not what one would imagine and not how our culture responds to success. Our culture celebrates and elevates the individual. We talk about the levels of wealth that the wealthiest people have. In a surprise twist, Solomon’s abundant blessings did not lead Sheba to worship him. Their encounter pointed her to praise the God who blesses.

Can you see the subtle difference? Notice how the text said Sheba saw how much Solomon had and how the wisdom he had drove him to more deeply trust God with his resources and ways. The text said he offered sacrifices and spoke with wisdom God gave. He followed commands and rules with righteousness and justice. His heart was to do the work God gave him and do it well. Is all the work you do done for God according to His ways?

Solomon practiced generosity, and it led others to be generous. Ask yourself if your life helps lead others to praise God and pursue a life connected with Him. It should. We were not made to elevate our own names. We were made to lift up the name of Jesus. The person who seeks wisdom helps others see and celebrate the greatness of God.

Solomon showed what a life rooted in God, blessed by God, and filled with the wisdom of God looks like. He was not sinless, but he did actively seek to honor God with how he lived. The abundance of God flows after we offer God our hearts and do what He says.

“God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. It is you alone who are to be feared. Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared.” Psalms 76:1-11

David lifted high the name of the Lord. He sang and exalted the God who was renowned in Judah. What is implied in that statement, though, is that God might not be renowned everywhere. David does not say that He is renowned everywhere, and therein lies one of the issues in our world. God desires to be known and glorified, yet there are places He is not known and glorified. Just like Sheba coming from Egypt to learn of a God she did not know, there are people who need to know about the Most High God so they can praise Him. How will you help share the good news of Jesus with people who do not yet know Him?

David said God alone is to be feared and followed. He said when you make a vow to God, make sure to fulfill it. It is easy to fit in with the crowd and go with the flow. It is easy to think that God does not see an act, like He does not know all we do. But God sees, and God knows your heart. He has work for you alone to do and expects you to do it. Your vow is your commitment to follow Jesus every day of your life as Lord and Savior after you give your life to Him. He does not say follow me on Sundays, but do what you want the rest of the week. Following Jesus requires faithful commitment and devotion. What vows do you need to fulfill today? Solomon did not serve as king over the land when he felt like it. He stepped onto the throne and lived every day as king until he died.

“Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way! A person’s own folly leads to their ruin…The one who gets wisdom loves life…A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life…Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again. Listen to advice and accept discipline…Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. The fear of the LORD leads to life” Proverbs 19:2-27

It was the wisdom that was a gift from God that made the greatest difference in Solomon’s life. How do you gain wisdom? What steps can you take each day to receive wisdom from God? God does not add to an overflowing cup. If you are full, there is no room for Him to fill you. Truth tells us that fasting leads to filling, then feasting. Have you taken the time to empty yourself this morning so that God might fill you with the spirit of wisdom?

Which of the verses above catches your attention? Solomon said do not hurry or worry. He said to be generous and make sure to help those in need. He said wisdom yields patience. Are you becoming more patient? Paul said love is patient. Are you becoming more loving like Jesus? Or less? We would do well to be aware of how the increasing speed of our world is impacting our wisdom and our willingness to be patient.

Solomon echoed the advice of David. He said the fear of the Lord is critical to fulfilling your vows and finding wisdom. This point is particularly important when you consider that, as king, Solomon controlled vast armies and immense wealth. Solomon was powerful, but he still practiced humbling himself before the Lord. Sheba did not see a king who was full of himself. She saw a man whose life pointed to God because he feared the Lord.

“Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet…Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation…The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn…son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. Do not rebel like that rebellious people” Ezekiel 2:1-10

Have you ever had a long talk with your parent? Have you had them sit you down and say son or daughter multiple times? That is what God does here. He is a loving Father who is sending Ezekiel to do what he was made to do. At no point does God say this will be comfortable or convenient. Instead, God strengthens him for the difficulties he will face. Fulfilling vows to God requires developing endurance and everyday patterns to strengthen you for the battles you will face. Solomon practiced sacrificing to keep his heart from falling in love with his wealth. He looked to help the poor and bring justice to others to make sure he did not develop a faith that kept him just in the palace.

Before God sends, He empowers with the Spirit. Ezekiel did not have to fulfill his vows in his own strength. The Spirit lifted him up and led him on his journey. The same is true for us today. If we will spend time in God’s Word, with God’s people, seeking God’s wisdom, we will be filled with His power so we can fulfill our kingdom purposes.

Do not be surprised if you encounter stubborn hearts and rebellious responses along the way. You do not control outcomes, nor can you turn a heart to Christ. Your job is to let God fill you with His wisdom and love so you can love in the ways you were made to love. There is a reason why wisdom yields patience. A lot of patience is required when you encounter stubborn people as you share the good news and your story.

“There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed…days later he called together the local Jewish leaders…He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe…The Holy Spirit spoke the truth…Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” Acts 28:1-31

From Solomon to Paul to us, every person is made to point to God and praise His name. Some will listen; many will not. Our vow is not conditioned on their responses. Our vow is to faithfully follow Jesus Christ every day of our lives. We saw different people, in different times and circumstances, living out the same purpose: glorifying God. Their lives pointed other people to Him.

Each of the people we looked at today patterned their lives to pursue wisdom and please God. Your patterns form who you become. Practice seeking first the kingdom of God, like Jesus said, then, out of the wisdom you receive, fulfill your vows. Practice generosity where you are able. Practice patience when others are stubborn. Love is patient and kind and not conditioned on their behavior. Practice sharing what God has done in your life so others can know the One who has changed yours. Each practice can help point someone to God.

Notice the similarity between Paul and Ezekiel. They were both called to share, knowing some would listen and some would not. That should encourage us as we endeavor to share our faith. These conversations should not be forced, but we also do not have to fear what they think. You are responsible to faithfully love them as the Spirit leads with grace and truth.

Solomon’s life was a testimony. Sheba saw something in the way he lived that made her want to know God. Will your life make others want to know Jesus? Choose patterns for your life that will create a person who points people to God. His wisdom will make you patient, His Spirit will make you strong, His love will make you generous, and His favor will give you all you need and more. Let others see what a life devoted to Jesus looks like and be ready to share the reason your light shines.