Stress Test Devotional April 27
April 27, 2024
1 KINGS 3:16, 21-27 | 16 Later, two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, I saw that he was dead, but when I looked at him closely in the morning, clearly it was not the son I had borne.” 22 But the other woman said, “No, the living son is mine, and the dead son is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead son is yours, and the living son is mine.” So they argued before the king. 23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,’ while the other says, ‘Not so! Your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” 24 So the king said, “Bring me a sword,” and they brought a sword before the king. 25 The king said, “Divide the living boy in two; then give half to the one and half to the other.” 26 But the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because compassion for her son burned within her, “Please, my lord, give her the living boy; certainly do not kill him!” The other said, “It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it.” 27 Then the king responded, “Give her the living boy; do not kill him. She is his mother.”
Christian leaders are hopeful that value clashes will be resolved when the kingdom arrives finally and fully. Until then, it takes resolve to face those clashes, and a great deal of wisdom. This is particularly so when the interests of groups clash, as well as values. Politicians in the U.S. face this both within and beyond their own parties. It takes courage to disappoint a constituency for the greater good, or because another group deserves consideration. Politics is a way of resolving differing interests without violence. Only courageous leaders can compromise in democracies, disappointing everyone equally, but arriving at workable solutions amid differences. Determining the validity of the claims and desires of individuals and groups can be very hard.
Solomon did this in the famous case of the dispute over a child, testing the parties to discover their level of love and commitment. His final decision pleased one and disappointed another. Leadership takes wisdom and courage.
Are you a courageous leader?
