Only the Best Will Do
King Solomon had it made. He was the chosen one among King David’s sons to succeed him on the throne. God gave him the gift of wisdom – and with it came fame, respect, and wealth. Best of all, he was given the amazing task of building the Temple – the physical dwelling place for God among His people and a place of worship for the nation of Israel. It was a job David lamented that he didn’t get the chance to do until the Lord, through the prophet Nathan, set him straight (see 2 Samuel 7).
When the time came to build the temple, Solomon wanted nothing but the best for the Temple. He sent a message to neighboring King Hiram to get the best lumber in the Middle East.
3 “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. 5 I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’
6 “So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”
7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”
8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon:
“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. 9 My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household.”
10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.
The chapter is pretty straightforward…no deep lessons, no metaphors. So the takeaway, at least as I see it, is that God deserves our best. We may not build a structure for him, but in whatever we do, we should offer Him the best we have. Whether it’s as a husband or father, as a boss or employee, as a friend, or as a worshipper, God deserves nothing but our best.
Do you give God your best in all areas of your life? Where are some areas in which you can improve at giving Him your best?