Blessed With Wise Children
In
verse 7 we read the words of Hiram, the king of Tyre, after he heard the news
that Solomon was the new king, “Blessed be Yahweh this day.” These words
may be an indication that Hiram (a Gentile) had converted to Judaism and
believed in the One True and Only God, or simply his recognition that Yahweh was
the God of Israel. We are told that Hiram was an admirer of David and, as such,
he likely acknowledged the many times Yahweh had intervened with power on
David’s and Israel’s behalf. For this, he had great respect for David and now
going forward, David’s son, Solomon.
After
acknowledging that Solomon was Yahweh’s choice as Israel’s new king, Hiram went
on to recognize Solomon’s great wisdom. He rejoiced that Solomon had such a
depth of wisdom as he began to reign in David’s stead. His words reveal that he
knew the source of Solomon’s wisdom “the LORD… has given to David a wise son.”
What
a blessing it is for any parent to witness God’s hand upon their child’s life. And
it is heart-warming when others take notice of the Lord’s work in their child
and bless God for it. For the follower of Christ, our mandate from God is clear
– raise your child in the ways of the Lord. Ephesians 5:4 admonishes us to “Bring
them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.” This is not an easy
undertaking by any means. It requires diligence and love and persistence and lots
of prayer on the part of the parents. Parents must be so careful to ensure that
(in addition to their child’s physical, emotional, and educational needs) their
spiritual needs are fostered and nurtured with the truth of God. And, what joy
it brings when we can step back and say, “Blessed be the Lord this day who has
given to [me] a wise son/daughter.”
It
is an amazing thing to watch as your child “graduates” to interacting with God on
their own. What a joy when your child demonstrates spiritual wisdom such that
others take notice of it.
It is truly a blessing when we have wise
children. In this context, we remember the words of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should
go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” What joy it brings when
your child remains on the “Highway of Holiness” even after you’ve released
control of his/her life.
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