by Tom Wacaster
Over the span of more than 45
years of preaching, I have had the opportunity to carefully study, and even
teach a series on the amazing wisdom of Solomon as contained in the book of
Proverbs. Yet the wisdom of David’s son only pales in comparison to the divine
wisdom demonstrated by David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Having said
that, my various journeys through the Proverbs has consistently yielded an
abundant harvest of rich, spiritual fruit to nourish the soul. I never grow
weary of the praise that Solomon lavishes upon wisdom and the possession
thereof. Here is just one example: “A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof” (Pro. 21:22). Listen
to another of Solomon’s bits of wisdom along that same line as contained in the
book of Ecclesiastes:
I have also seen wisdom
under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me: There was a little
city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and
besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a
poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered
that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless
the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of
the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good” (Ecc.
9:13-18).
In this age where violence seems
to dominate Hollywood and where nations seem to be increasingly at odds with
one another, perhaps it is time for humanity to take a little advice from Solomon.
History is filled with examples of great leaders who gained the upper ground
over their enemies, not by force, but through wise negotiations. Let me share
one such incident that illustrates the point I think Solomon was making in the
two passages noted above.
Plutarch tells of an encounter
between Taxiles and Alexander the Great. With a mighty army Alexander came into
India. So powerful was Alexander’s army that he could cause the earth to
literally shake beneath his feet. Taxiles was a prince whose territory was as
large as Egypt and which contained good pasturage of fertile and arable land.
Taxiles had a great army, perhaps as great and powerful as any Alexander had
ever faced. Taxiles and his army presented a formidable foe for the Grecian
conqueror. But Taxiles was a wise ruler, and after he greeted Alexander, he
asked him, “Why should we fight battles with one another? You have not come
here to rob us of water or the necessities of life, and these are the only
things for which sensible men are obligated to fight. As for other kinds of
wealth and property so-called, if I possess more than you, I am ready to be
generous towards you, and if I have less, I shall not refuse any benefits you
may offer.” Alexander was so delighted at this that he took the hand of Taxiles
and said, “Perhaps you think that after your kind words and courtesy our
meeting will pass off without a contest. No, you shall not get the better of me
in this way. I shall fight with you to the last, but only in the services I
offer you, for I will not have you outdo me in generosity.” Plutarch goes on to
tell how Alexander received many gifts from Taxiles, but returned even more,
and finally presented him with a thousand talents of coin.
Perhaps the same kind of wisdom
can be used to avert personal problems that arise from time to time. Seldom do
I read a local newspaper that does not contain a report of some domestic
squabble over what, seems to me, a rather insignificant matter. Some minor
disagreement stirs up emotional feelings, physical violence takes precedence
over calm deliberation, and angry words all too often lead to spousal abuse.
The cycle is endless, the beat goes on, and wisdom fails to get a decent
hearing.
Solomon’s words are also
applicable to churches, are they not? If a little earthly wisdom demonstrated
by the wise counsel of Taxiles to Alexander could avert a war, how much more
the wisdom that comes from above as it is applied to brotherly disputes. Paul
spoke of our weapons and the warfare we are to fight as God’s people: “For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (for the
weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the
casting down of strongholds), casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ; and being in readiness to avenge all
disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full” (2 Cor. 10:3-6). It is
only with the wisdom that comes from above that we can ever hope to
successfully engage our spiritual enemy. I wonder how many church splits could
have been avoided if brethren had only used the wisdom that comes from above to
address the problems of the moment.
Some years ago I was privileged
to travel with an older brother in Christ to various brotherhood activities. I
was living in Oklahoma at the time, and each year he and I would make the eight
hour drive to Henderson, Tennessee to attend the Freed-Hardeman Lectures. I was
much younger then, and he in his early years of retirement. He reminded me of
Colonel Sanders with his mustache and beard, though he was much thinner than
the Colonel. Those long drives provided us opportunity to visit and share
stores with one another. I like to think that some of what he shared with me of
life’s experiences helped me mature and grow in Christ. He told me the
following story that demonstrates the truth of Solomon’s wisdom. His father had
served as an elder of the Lord’s church in the community where he grew up. One
of the “issues” facing the church at that time was the one-cup issue. There
were strong feelings on both sides. Congregations were being troubled by those
opposing the use of multiple cups, leading to splits in some of the churches.
This brother told me how his father, and the other elders handled the
situation, thereby defusing what could have very well split the congregation. A
sister in the congregation had a communicable disease [tuberculosis, if I
remember correctly], but was desirous to attend the services. The congregation
actually used two cups, and it was advised that they provide a third, smaller
cup for this sister to use so as to avoid any spreading of the disease. This
seemed to be acceptable to the contentious party, and so a third cup was added.
It was also suggested that a fourth cup be added for any brethren who might
even suspect they had some like disease, so as to use all precaution against
further causing illness among the brethren. It was agreed, and for several
months the congregation used four cups at the Lord’s Table. Eventually one of
the leaders of that little element that fought tooth-and-nail against the use
of multiple cups approached the elders and conceded that their opposition to
multiple containers was rather short sighted. The congregation remained at
peace with one another, and when the time came to introduce the multiple cups
into use at the Lord’s Supper there was no voice of opposition.
Seeing that heavenly wisdom is
granted to us by the Father upon our request (Jas. 1:5), it would behoove us to
search the scriptures, and become familiar with that heavenly wisdom
demonstrated by Solomon, but most of all, that which was manifested in the life
of our Lord and Savior.