Solomon the Wise King

If we let God teach us, we can grow up to be wise people.

Bible Text:

1 Kings chapters 2 to 11.

Age Group:

Preschool to Grade 2.

When King David died, his son Solomon became king, and he prayed to the Lord for wisdom and understanding of the people he was to reign over.  Wisdom is for a person to know how to say and do good things.  God was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom rather than riches.  God then told him that He would give him a wise mind as well as riches and honour, so that no other king would ever compare with Solomon.  God did this and King Solomon became famous for his wisdom

One Living Child:

One day two women appeared before King Solomon.  The first woman told him that she and the other woman lived in the same house.  Both given birth to a child.  However, the other woman's child died and during the night she had taken her dead child and swopped it for the living child of the first woman.  She was now claiming the first woman's child as her own.

The second woman denied this, saying that the living child was hers.  It was hard to see how this could be settled, as there was no one who could tell the truth of the situation.

Cut the Child in Half:

King Solomon thought for a while and finally said, "Bring me a sword."  So a sword was brought to the king and he said, "Now, cut the the living child in two and give half to each woman."  The first woman was horrified and cried out to the king, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child and don't kill it."  But, the other woman said, "Then it won't be either mine nor yours, so divide it!"

The wise King Solomon spoke again, and said, "Give the living child to the first woman and don't kill it, for she is it's mother!"  All Israel heard of this judgment and knew that the wisdom of God was in their king, and that he had given a wise decision.  For what true mother would want her own child to die rather than to live?

Growing into Wise People:

If we let God teach us, we too can grow up to be wise people.  Wise people do good things and avoid doing bad things.  Even young children can know the difference between good and bad things.  What are some bad things that you do?  And what are some good things that you could do?  Should we always choose to do bad things?

No, then how can we choose to do good things?  Yes, you can ask God to help you to choose to do good things, and to say "No" to doing bad things.  If you keep on doing this as you grow up, then you will become a wise person.

God bless!

Copyright © 2007 Sharon Children's Ministries