Inspired by Solomon's Dream

I have mentioned before that on my very first read through the Bible, I was deeply moved when I read of Solomon's dream. Here is a recap, as a refresher on the details: 

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. (I Kings 3:5-12)

Remembering my first read, I was struck by the beauty of Solomon's wish, the purity of his heartfelt desire. I was heartened by the faithfulness of God in recognizing that prayer's purity and rightness. With more years of experience now, I'm familiar with more stories of people attaining power and how they use it. So many people, suddenly in power, would have seen to their wealth, their egos, their personal scores to settle, silencing their enemies, neutralizing rivals as perceived threats. Even the more civic-minded can easily have their thoughts firmly fixed on their own vanity projects, convinced in their own mind that they already know what is best. Solomon's humility leads to an honest self-appraisal, his heart is for his people, and his eye is on whether he can discern what is good and what is evil. Any one of those seems a rare trait in a leader; the combination of all three is a delight. In Solomon's early rule he is passionate to do what is right. And the Lord faithfully promises wisdom and discernment. 

Our current secular culture is a mocking, irreverent culture, hostile toward the idea of wisdom. "Wisdom" here does have specifically religious implications -- the necessity of humility, the rightness of acknowledging God's ways, the desirability of that understanding. 

From what I have studied before, I think of wisdom as knowledge guided by love. I desire for our world to be guided with more wisdom. That means for God's people to become more deeply immersed in it, directed by it. I think it starts here: that we desire it, and seek it.