SAINT AGATHA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR (MEMORIAL)

Give your servant . . . an understanding heart. 

Solomon may have ruled centuries ago, but the breadth and depth of his wisdom are still legendary. Even today, the expression “the wisdom of Solomon” is used to describe what it means to have wise judgment.

The Hebrew word for the “understanding” Solomon prayed for, shomea, can also be translated as “listening” (1 Kings 3:9). So Solomon asked for a “listening heart,” one that hears and obeys the Lord. He knew that he was a “mere youth” and that in order to govern wisely, he would need to rely on God’s wisdom and judgment (3:7).

You might think that Solomon was given a special gift that none of us could ever have. But all people are meant to hear God’s voice and walk in his ways. The Book of Proverbs compares the spirit of God’s wisdom to a lady in waiting who stands ready to help those who seek her (1:20-32). The truth is, God’s wisdom is available to everyone who seeks it.

Studying the Bible is one of the best and most practical ways to seek wisdom and develop “an understanding heart . . . to distinguish right from wrong” (1 Kings 3:9). In particular, you can find a lifetime of material to learn from in the Wisdom literature found in books such as Proverbs, Sirach, Job, Wisdom, and the Psalms. There you will find truths that have stood the test of time—truths that are just as relevant to your life now as they were to the people who read them centuries ago.

Some of the wise sayings in Scripture will be different from the viewpoints you might hear in commercials and popular social movements today. They might even challenge your own perspective. But a listening heart is also a meek heart, one eager to put on the heart and mind of God. The more you study and reflect on these wise sayings, the more your heart will grow in understanding. That’s what Solomon asked for—and that’s what God wants for you too!

“Lord, give me an understanding heart that listens and obeys.”

Psalm 119:9-14
Mark 6:30-34
1 Kings 3:4-13