Win-Win ∙∙
And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice. – 1 Kings 3:28
1 Kings 3:16-28
16 Two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled.
17 “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house.”
18 “Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.”
19 “But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it.”
20 “Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her.”
21 “And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”
22 Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.” “No,” the first woman said, “the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.
23 Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other.”
24 “All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king.
25 Then he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!”
26 Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”
27 Then the king said, “Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!”
28 When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice.
Traditional negotiations take the positional bargaining approach, where each party aims to outmaneuver the other to gain an advantage without considering the counterpart’s needs and desires. This approach meets resistance from the opposing side, which is trying to do the same thing. If and when all parties find common ground and agree, the negotiation ends.
Historically, negotiation styles have encompassed Win-Lose, Lose-Win, and Lose-Lose paradigms. The Win-Win method is a more contemporary and collaborative approach, wherein each participant views the other as a partner rather than an adversary.
Solomon is endowed with supernatural wisdom and insight from the Father. He had no difficulty seeing through the words spoken by the two women and quickly discerned the truth behind the conflicting claims of the two women. One of them was lying.
Solomon delved into their hearts to uncover the genuine mother. He astutely proposed that they “divide the baby” between them, knowing that the real mother’s maternal instinct would emerge. Through this ruse, he identified the real mother and granted her custody of the child.
The genuine mother’s heart yearned for the child’s well-being. The term “yearned” is translated from the Hebrew word kamar. Kamar conveys a profound emotional stirring, reflecting a sense of deep compassion and empathy. This sentiment could be interpreted as “her compassion was inflamed” or “she was consumed with compassion” (UBS).
1 Kings 3:26 Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!”
The emphatic, powerful nuance of the Hebrew is not captured with the simple phrase “not kill him.” Far better options are “Certainly do not kill him!” “Whatever you do, do not kill it,” or “On no account, let them kill him!” (UBS).
REFLECT & PRAY
Imagine if the Father directly communicated with you, granting you the opportunity to ask anything from Him; what would you ask for?
Father, more than anything, I yearn to possess the wisdom of Solomon and seek Your divine guidance to make wise and discerning choices.
INSIGHT
How did Solomon become so wise, and why?
At the beginning of his reign, the Father came to Solomon. The Father offered a remarkable proposition, “Ask what you would like me to give you.” There is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the Scriptures. This unprecedented event is unparalleled in the Scriptures. Envision a scenario where all possibilities lay open before you. Imagine anything and everything was on the table.
Solomon’s sole wish was for God’s wisdom and understanding. His plea did not stem from self-serving motives but from a genuine aspiration to govern the Father’s people with sagacity. Driven by noble intentions and a pure heart, Solomon sought supernatural wisdom and knowledge to serve God’s people to the best of his abilities.
1 Kings 3:5-12
5 The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, and God said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.”
7 “Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.”
8 “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.”
9 “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice,
12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.”
Solomon’s wisdom provided a Win-Win outcome for the actual mother and her baby, not so much for the fraudulent mother.
The Father encourages us to seek Him for all our needs. He takes pleasure in unveiling His desires and ways to us. He joyfully responds to our prayers, ensuring that when we petition Him, He attentively listens and provides exactly what we need – which may not be what we think we need or want (Stanley).
The divine wisdom of the Father is accessible to every child of the King. Similar to Solomon, our focus needs to be off ourselves and on utilizing wisdom to support and enrich the lives of others.
James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, who will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 