Of all the kings in all the lands, I think King Solomon may have had the cushiest kingship of all. I kinda picture King Solomon as a fair-skinned bard, basking in the cool breeze while writing poetry on the banks of a flowing well spring under a shade tree. Just look at his beautiful life: he inherits a kingdom he didn’t build full of gold and silver he didn’t earn during a peaceful time he didn’t help create. And maybe this is why we today have such beautiful writings like the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and especially the Song of Solomon. Wowzers. Gets me a little hot under the collar just thinking about that last one. If you’ve never done a study on the Song of Solomon but are curious to learn more about the tenderness of relationship, I suggest you Google and sign up for a study today. You’ll never be the same again. I promise. Anyway, that’s kind of how I see Solomon, and even though it sounds like I’m giving him kind of a hard time for lounging around eating grapes, fed to him by plump, naked concubines (a perfect example of how art can influence our imaginations. Sorry, not sorry?), I also noticed something else that’s way more important: even though Solomon was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he didn’t take it for granted … exactly. He didn’t do evil in the eyes of the Lord. He was considered and remembered as a good king. He used his “down time” wisely. He wrote. He wrote about blessings. He wrote about intimacy between two people. He wrote some of the most philosophical one-liners we modern-day deep-thinkers still grapple with today. There is nothing new under the sun, indeed, but the sun also rises, thanks to the God to Whom King Solomon remained true.
Writing prompt: Solomonly
Describe the way you envision King Solomon.
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