Solomon prayed and asked God for an “understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (1 Kings 3:8). The Lord answered Solomon’s request because he did not ask for long life, nor for riches, nor for the life of his enemies. So in 1 Kings 3:16-27 we read the first example of Solomon’s great wisdom.
Scripture describes these two women as prostitutes. How tragic to be marked and described by past choices and lifestyles. Despite their backgrounds and lifestyles they were given a gift that they were undeserving of: “for children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Ps. 127:3). Indeed, children are a gift of the Lord. Giving birth represents new life and a new beginning. You and I are much like these two women. We were marked with past lifestyles of ungodliness. We weren’t angels when the Lord found us, but somewhere along life’s journey He called us out of darkness, and into His marvelous light! And like these two women, we were given something that we didn’t deserve – new life.
Unfortunately one of the women rolled over on her new baby and suffocated it. She awoke to find that she had killed her new baby and before the other mother awoke she switched babies. The other mother awoke to find that her baby was gone and had been switched with a dead baby. She immediately went to King Solomon to seek his wisdom. It would be wise if we went to the King of Kings with our problems before we went to social media or to others who don’t have the ability to help us!
“Get me a sword” that was Solomon’s first words after he heard the complaints from the mothers. He followed that up with, “Now, let’s cut the baby in half. Each mother will get one half apiece.” You could hear the crowd gasp from Dan to Beersheba.
The mother of the dead child shrugged her shoulders as if to say “That seems fair.” The mother of the living child, however, cried out, “No! I will not let you cut that baby in half. Give her the baby! Half isn’t good enough for me!” For that mother it was all or nothing. She knew the baby would die if it was cut in half.
Solomon sat back on his throne and grinned from ear to ear. “Give her the child. She’s the true mother. She would never let her child be cut in half. Because half is never good enough.”
There are too many Christians who settle for half. They aren’t cold, and they aren’t hot. They are lukewarm. They have one foot in the church and the other in the world. They try to hold hands with Jesus and the devil. But attempts to do so are futile. If you try to live halfway as a Christian, you’re going to end up with a dead form of Christianity.