Is “the Wisdom From Above” at Work in Your Life?

1-3. (a) How did Solomon display extraordinary wisdom in the way he handled a maternity dispute? (b) What does Jehovah promise to give us, and what questions arise?

IT WAS a difficult case​—two women arguing over a baby. The women shared a home, and each had given birth to a son, just days apart. One of the babies had died, and now each woman claimed to be the mother of the living baby.a There were no other witnesses to what had happened. The case had likely been heard in a lower court but not resolved. Finally, the dispute was taken to Solomon, the king of Israel. Would he be able to uncover the truth?

² After listening for a while as the women argued, Solomon called for a sword. Then, with seeming conviction, he ordered that the child be cut in two, with half given to each woman. At once, the real mother pleaded with the king to give the baby​—her precious child—​to the other woman. But the other woman kept insisting that the child be cut in two. Solomon now knew the truth. He had knowledge of a mother’s tender compassion for the child of her womb, and he used that knowledge to settle this dispute. Imagine the mother’s relief when Solomon awarded her the baby and said: “She is his mother.”​—1 Kings 3:16-27.

³ Extraordinary wisdom, was it not? When the people heard how Solomon had resolved the case, they were in awe, “for they saw that the wisdom of God was with him.” Yes, Solomon’s wisdom was a divine gift. Jehovah had given him “a wise and understanding heart.” (1 Kings 3:12, 28)