The Queen's Questions
The Queen of Sheba thought about the man’s words. Then she held out her scepter. “It is wise to live at peace,” she answered. “I decree that you and your neighbor share the stream peacefully from now on.”
Ta ta DA! Ta ta DA! The trumpets sounded.
The Royal Announcer stepped forward. “Oh, Queen!” he cried. “A message has just arrived from a kingdom far away. It says King Solomon rules there in Jerusalem and is the wisest person who ever lived.”
The Queen of Sheba prided herself on being very knowledgeable. At the news of this wise king, she clapped her hands. “I will go to his kingdom at once!” she exclaimed. “I will see for myself if King Solomon is truly wise.”
The queen looked around. “I’ll need many camels for my trip,” she instructed. “I must take many gifts from our land to ensure friendship with King Solomon.”
An older man walked up to the throne. “I have many camels, beloved queen. You may have every one of them!”
“Thank you, Sir!” the queen cried. “Your kindness is appreciated. Let’s go at once to visit Jerusalem’s wise king.”
At her words, each person in the court hurried to get ready.
The Queen of Sheba prepared for her journey. She also made a list of gifts to bring. The servants packed her finest gowns and scarves. Soon a long line of camels marched across the desert.
After many days, the Queen of Sheba and her group arrived in Jerusalem. She was amazed: Everywhere she looked, new buildings were being raised. Important projects were under way. Jerusalem was the biggest and most beautiful city she had ever seen!
The Queen of Sheba went straight to King Solomon’s palace. Servants dressed in royal robes greeted her — more servants than she had ever imagined. They led her to the throne room where King Solomon sat upon a golden chair. It was all so wonderful and majestic that the sight took her breath away.
“Greetings, oh, King!” the queen said, bowing deeply. “I have heard of your great wisdom.”
After acknowledging one another, the Queen of Sheba asked King Solomon many questions to test his wisdom. She asked him easy questions. She asked him difficult questions. She asked him questions she didn’t even know the answers to. King Solomon answered every one!
Then the queen dared to ask the question she had been wondering for weeks. She bit her lip but went ahead and spoke. “Oh, King,” she said. “Everyone can see that you are truly wise. But tell me, how did you become so wise? Where is this wisdom from? Do you have a secret? Did you buy it with gold? Or learn it from books?”
King Solomon smiled and looked straight into the queen’s eyes. “It was easy, really. One day I asked God to give me wisdom. And He did.”
The Queen of Sheba gasped in awe. “What a marvelous God you have! Truly, oh, King, you are the wisest and richest, the most powerful and most honorable of all rulers. And it is all because of your wonderful and amazing God!”
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not.” — James 3:17