March 10

For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been. — 1 Kgs 11:4 BSB

The Arabs have a legend that a small worm gnawed away at the staff Solomon leaned on until, one day, it broke, and the great king fell. But the real problem was that the worm had been gnawing at Solomon’s heart.

A perfect heart doesn’t mean a sinless heart but a heart fully devoted to God. Solomon kept part of his heart for the Lord and other parts for the gods of other nations. Jesus said it well: “You cannot serve both God and money.”

We must guard against this divided loyalty, which is common today. It’s a broad kind of religion that avoids the hard truths of God’s Word about sin and holiness. It tries to send everyone to heaven and treats hell as an outdated myth. It views strict Christians as intolerant and narrow-minded, labels great sins as minor mistakes, and ignores the need for repentance. Yet, when we look at David and Solomon, it’s clear which kind of faith pleases God and leads to a nobler end. Solomon’s divided religion didn’t lead to a satisfactory outcome.