The Wisdom of Solomon

Sunday’s scripture recounts the story of King Solomon who, when asked by God what he would like, did not want riches or long life, but rather, he asked for an understanding heart.  The wisdom of Solomon’s request characterizes the heart of a man who can distinguish between real and false treasure.  Sunday’s gospel is a continuation from last week as Jesus presents several more parables describing the kingdom of heaven.   In doing so, He is instructing us in the importance of having a heart that understands the value of keeping our priorities straight.  The things of this world are of little consequence in comparison to our ultimate goal, which is heaven.  Last Sunday the parable of the sower and the seeds revealed that people distracted by worldly desires will miss out on the greater prize which is heaven.  The parable about the pearl of great price demonstrates the wisdom of placing the greatest value and focus on seeking the kingdom of God.

In our increasingly secular and cynical world, many people deride Christians for naïvely believing in “pie in the sky” as our reward for living a moral life.  They often view morality as nothing more than superstitious bunk that restricts human freedom.  And yet, they seem to be blind to the many consequences of violating the laws of nature and the laws of God.  When God gave His people the Ten Commandments, it was not to limit their freedom, but to set them free from sin, so they would prosper and be happy, even as they grew closer to God, and to one another in love.  Remember, the people of the Old Testament were spiritually immature, living in an age when most other people believed in multiple gods who controlled destiny and had to be appeased by sacrifices, even human sacrifice.  The Israelites did not have the benefit of the Holy Spirit, who came only after the saving act of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  The first three of the Ten Commandments instruct us in how to love God, and the remaining seven, how to love one another by respecting parents, the dignity of every person, marriage, and property rights.  Observing the Ten Commandments frees us to love and prosper, and be happy.  When we violate these commandments, we put our freedom at risk by becoming enslaved to the sins of pride, lust, and greed.   No society can thrive when driven by immorality because the common good is not being served, and as we have seen throughout the ages, the powerful take what they want at the expense of everyone else. 

With all this in mind, I’ve been wondering how I can pass along the importance of seeking the kingdom of God to my children and grandchildren.  Certainly they can be taught the tenets of faith, so as to guide them while they are spiritually immature, like the Israelites.  But even having been baptized and received the Holy Spirit, free will and the temptations of the world can easily distract them from understanding the importance of seeking the kingdom of God.   We live in a culture that is becoming increasingly immoral, and as a result, choosing a moral life has become counter-cultural.  How can I convince them that real happiness is derived not from seeking the false freedom of libertinism, but rather, it is freedom from sin that promotes both personal happiness and the common good?

So here’s what I’ve come up with: a short list of suggestions to act as a guide for forming attitudes that are both life-affirming and logical in their content and outcomes.

1.      Lead a Moral Life – Do not become a slave to your emotions, doing so will only make you unhappy in the long run and lead to many unpleasant consequences.    Spiritual maturity requires self-discipline which is best learned by following the Ten Commandments.

 

2.      Learn Self-Discipline - You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can certainly control how you react to things.  Reacting badly only compounds problems and extends the unhappiness.

3.      Adopt an Abundance Mentality – God’s love is infinite, so there is no reason to be envious of others.  What seems “unfair” is only temporary.  God will always find a way to cause good to come from even the most evil act.  Be happy for the success and happiness of others, and generous with your time when others need your help.  Remember that your ultimate destination is eternal life, and everything that happens before death is only temporary.

4.      Form a Moral Conscience – Our conscience has been referred to as the “divine spark of God’s love,” and it enables us to recognize that certain things are intrinsically evil.  However, forming our conscience is a lifelong task that requires study and reflection, it is not something we simply “feel.”  Failure to form your conscience is a sign of spiritual immaturity and leads to moral relativism in which all manner of sinful behavior is rationalized.

5.      Be Grateful – It’s hard to be hateful when you’re grateful.  Never forget the miracle of life that has been given to you, and the love and mercy of God that has been showered on you.  When you’re disappointed, recall all the good things in your life, and put things into perspective.

6.      Be a Good Listener –This is a variation on the golden rule.  Consciously work on being a good listener and you will earn people’s respect and trust.  Don’t take yourself too seriously because focusing too much on yourself makes you a poor listener as well as unpleasant and unattractive.

7.      Do Not Spend All the Money You Earn – Spending more than you earn is a sure path to anxiety, trouble, and temptation.  Buying on credit only increases the price you’re paying, and if not repaid quickly, can double the cost of everything you buy.  Begin saving 10% of your income from your very first paycheck and you’ll never miss the money you save.  When asked what the most amazing mathematical function was, Einstein replied, “compound interest.”  If you start saving while young, your money will quadruple over time, but if you wait until middle age to begin saving, you will never have enough to retire.  

One final note: The Kingdom of God is already at hand.  This life, here and now on earth, is part of the Kingdom of God.  We have only to recognize that we are immortal souls currently living in human bodies, and the spacetime in which we live is part of the eternal now of God.  So act like it.  Every choice we make matters.