Path of Wisdom

1 Kings 3:5-9
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

⁶ Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

⁷ "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, wisdom is the beginning of obedience and obedience is the beginning of blessing.

Solomon's request was noble, profound and humble. It seems that even though he asked for wisdom, he already had quite a bit to begin with. Where did this base level of wisdom come from? It was not from books or teachers or schooling but from watching closely the life of his father David and recognizing the great mercy and grace (undeserved favor) of God. (There is a whole lesson here for Fathers about providing a good example for children... but not now.)
Solomon already had a healthy fear and reverence for God because he observed God's ways with his father David, the king. Later in his life Solomon would acknowledge through the proverbs that the beginning of wisdom was not asking God, but fearing God (Prov. 1:7).
As a servant of God, my most passionate pursuit and lofty goal should not be for security, safety or significance (v. 11) but for a clear view and understanding of God that I might fear Him and therefore walk in His ways.
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, wisdom is the beginning of obedience and obedience is the beginning of blessing.

Father- fill me with reverent fear of You, Your power, Your will and Your commands. Help me recognize Your great mercy and grace and let them lead me to wisdom and obedience that I might be blessed to be a blessing. Amen.