Learn To Listen - King Solomon

Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 12:15

A wise old owl lived in an oak;

The more he saw the less he spoke;

The less he spoke the more he heard.

Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?

This anonymous poem echoes some of Solomon’s thoughts about wise counsel. In several of his proverbs, Solomon advises his readers to listen carefully to those who have gone before them because they have the wisdom acquired by a long walk with God.

Solomon offered a lot of advice on heeding the wise counsel of mature leaders. Sadly, however, he didn’t always do as he said.

As Solomon prepared to ascend the throne as king of Israel, his father, David, who was close to death, advised him: “Observe the requirements of the LORD your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me” (1 Kings 2:3-4).

Solomon may have spoken words of wisdom, but his life ended in foolishness. He knew God’s clear warning against taking many wives, but that’s exactly what he did. In all, he took seven hundred wives and three hundred mistresses, some of them women from outside his own nationality and faith.

Solomon’s failure to practice what he preached led to his downfall. His wives turned his heart away from God and toward idol worship, which scuttled what could have been a legacy of unparalleled greatness.

You will save yourself a lot of trouble by knowing the Word of God and doing what it says. That’s a good way to avoid heartache and the only way to receive every blessing God has for you.