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In Order. Unity Over Pride

June 11, 2017. 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3.

 

Has someone ever asked you for help, someone who you just didn’t think really needed your help that badly?  Sometimes it is easier to help out and come to the aid of those less fortunate, but then struggle to justify supporting someone in the same phase of life or better. 

This struggle can be seen not only in more personal relationships, but even within the church realm.

As Christ-followers, we should have a different filter through which we hear or respond to requests for help.  Hiram, kind of Tyre embodied this filter in the 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.  

King David had passed away and his son Solomon had taken his position.  Hiram and David had been on fairly friendly terms and so he wished to continue that relationship on with David’s son, Solomon.  So Hiram sends a friendly envoy, a fruit basket of friendship if you will, to Solomon to express his desire to foster a good relationship with one another.

Solomon sends back a message to Hiram:

1 Kings 5:3-6

“You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’

“So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

Now Solomon had been in a pretty admirable position at this point in time; no adversaries, no known upcoming wars to deal with.  It would have been easy for King Hiram to think “Why should I help this guy out?  He’s doing pretty good on his own and I need to focus on my lands and my people?”  Instead his response was:

1 Kings 5:7

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

Hiram recognized the work and the heart behind it.  He understood that building a temple to the Lord was a big deal and he was more than happy to be a part of it, even though the credit would not be given to him.

Sometimes pride gets in the way of you being a part of something incredible that God is doing.  As you grow in your walk with the Lord, stay sensitive to how He is not only working and moving in your life, but also in the lives of those around you.

We as Christ followers should have the same end goal, therefore, a win for one is a win for all.  Let us work together, come to the aid of each, and show the world what unity in Christ looks like and how powerful it can be.