Eleven Life Lessons from Solomon

The fabled king of the east is in the Bible for a reason. His life – charmed as it was by wealth, power, wisdom, and love – teaches us many things. As I recently read through his story again, I noticed eleven practical life lessons.

1) Success begins with a stable foundation – Solomon’s first work after taking the throne was to establish the kingdom. Not until this step was completed did he begin to build his magnificent monuments. For Solomon, establishing the kingdom meant rooting out internal traitors and enemies. He would never have succeeded if he was always postponing his building projects to crush rebellions. The takeaway: Ensure that you have a stable foundation in your life, career, and relationships. Don’t move on until this is certain. Especially, don’t put anything (your life, your family, your church, your business, or anything else) in the spotlight as an example for others until you know that it is solid enough to endure that strain.

2) All the disciplines are intertwined – Solomon was not just a great king – he was also a botanist, architect, sage, administrator, judge, diplomat, and entrepreneur, among other things. Surely, part of his wisdom came from his refusal to pigeon-hole himself in one discipline (i.e., kingship). By developing many talents, Solomon was able to apply wisdom from one subject to another subject. The takeaway: Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Read books on subjects you aren’t familiar with. Value the liberal arts. Play an instrument. Learn something new. Don’t limit yourself to your area of expertise. Be curious.

3) Administrative skill is a sign of wisdom – A big empire calls for lots of bookkeeping. Solomon’s empire carefully tracked his imports and exports. Agreements with foreign nations were explicitly clear as to who did what. The nation itself was divided into twelve provinces, and each province must provide food for the royal dining room. Manual laborer was delegated to shifts and placed under competent officers. This wasn’t unnecessary work. Solomon’s administrative skills were a sign of his wisdom. The takeaway: Schedules, organization systems, careful planning, and accurate record keeping are essential if you are going to thrive, whether you are a small business owner, a student, a day laborer, or an emperor.

4) The most lasting accomplishments are mission-focused – We know that Solomon was wise, built himself a grand palace, had a magnificent fleet, and accumulated gold. His most lasting accomplishment, however, was to build the Temple in Jerusalem. Indeed, the Biblical narrative places this at the center of Solomon’s narrative. Why? Because Solomon’s ultimate mission was to serve God and His people. The temple was his ultimate ministry to both. The other accomplishments may have been grand. They may have been even more expensive or difficult. But the temple was most important to his mission. The takeaway: As you decide what is worth your time and effort, determine what your mission is. Why did God put you on this planet? Center your biggest ambitions around fulfilling this mission.

5) You can’t go it alone – Solomon may have been the central figure of the Hebrew Empire, but he certainly wasn’t alone. He was helped by an army of capable rulers who administered the provinces of his realm. He also made allies of unlikely people: he married Pharaoh’s daughter and recruited the Phoenician king Hiram for his architectural and commercial ventures. His relationship with Egypt ensured political peace; his relationship with the Phoenicians – who were experts in sailing and commerce – ensured commercial success. The takeaway: Surround yourself with people who have different skills. Outsource to those who are better than you. Even if you aim to be a renaissance man, you don’t have the time or energy to be an expert in everything.

6) Keep morale high for the long haul – If you want to be a successful emperor for forty years, you need to keep the people happy. Solomon did this by giving his people tax breaks, promoting them to positions of power in his empire, and building them lots of big stuff. Oh, and don’t forget the party. Solomon knew how to throw a cool party. After dedicating the temple, Solomon celebrated with the Israelites – lots of free BBQ, courtesy of Royal Temple Inc. The takeaway: Care for yourself and care for those under you. You can’t survive the long haul when morale is low.

7) Have more than you show – Solomon’s wealth and fame were world news, sufficiently interesting to get the Queen of Sheba to come on a tourist visit. Even though our jaws drop when we read about his kingdom (666 talents of gold coming in every year?), she summed up her visit by saying, “The half was not told me.” Evidently, Solomon was even more impressive than the reports that made their rounds. The takeaway: Follow Shakespeare’s advice – “Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest.” This will leave people impressed, rather than disappointed, when they come to find out more.

8) It may be the inside that counts, but it’s the outside that shows – Solomon’s architectural feats were grand. He wasn’t content to frame a plain concrete shell, put the Ark of the Covenant inside, and slap a ‘Temple’ sticker on the structure. No, he went all out. The temple was coated with gold, embossed with palm trees, and it was the ancient equivalent of a skyscraper. Everything that Solomon did was on the large side. He wasn’t content to have a powerful army or an efficient justice system – he built a huge golden throne with twelve sculptured lions, then lined the palatial ‘House of the Forest of Lebanon’ with five hundred golden shields, to symbolize the judicial skill and military prowess of his empire. Solomon knew how to market! The takeaway: Pay attention to the brand. Whether you serve a business, a church, or just your family, pay attention to how you come across and how people perceive you. If the foundation is solid (point 2), then don’t sell yourself short by presenting it in a sloppy fashion.

9) Preparation for the next generation sets them up for success or failure – Solomon was a phenomenal king, but he didn’t get there by himself. His dad, David, worked long and hard to fight wars, stop rebellions, and stockpile supplies so that his son could have the fame of ruling an empire and building a temple. Solomon got a head start because of what his dad did. Similarly, Solomon set up a grand empire, but undercut its power in his last years. This set up his own son, Rehoboam, to face insurrection and warfare. The takeaway: Parents (and grandparents, and great-grandparents, etc.) can help – or undercut – their children’s success.

10) Do your part, but it isn’t all your part – David’s dying words to his son indicated that the key to successful leadership of God’s people is obedience to God’s Word. If Solomon wanted to thrive, he had to obey God, period. Solomon’s work, in other words, was clearly cut out for him. No obedience = no success. On the other hand, Solomon inherited a covenant in which God promised to prosper the family of David. It wasn’t just that Solomon had to do everything – God was the one who would give prosperity. The takeaway: Do your part, everything God has given you to do. Do it well. But don’t forget, at the end of the day, that God is the one who prospers or prevents your plans.

11) The end of the show is important – Despite fantastic wealth and a name in the history books, Solomon’s last years were marked by idolatry and addiction. With 700 wives and 300 concubines, Solomon’s love life required some attention. Keeping that many women happy required that he make some compromises – in the end, he compromised his religion. Even now we don’t remember Solomon just by his great deeds and magnificent buildings. We also remember his misdirected love life. All those years of greatness were marred by his aging follies. The takeaway: It’s great to start well, and it’s important to continue well. But don’t drop the ball at the end.