Sometimes Wrong

Solomon was given the kingdom of Israel.  As I mentioned yesterday, this responsibility came with many, many tough decisions.  In the early part of his reign, Solomon squelches a rebellion by his half-brother, removes the religious leader (High Priest), and puts his military leader to death.  Then he cleans up some other old business left behind by his father, David.  Finally, the kingdom was firmly in Solomon’s grip.

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city. (1 Kings 3:1 NLT)

His next move, marrying one of Pharaoh’s daughters, seems like a shrewd political move.  With his daughter living in Solomon’s home, Pharaoh would be a fool to attack Israel for any reason.  Solomon seems to be making one of those wise decisions he is so famous for making.  There’s just one small problem.  He was not supposed to return to Egypt.

"The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the LORD has told you, 'You must never return to Egypt.' (Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT)

Solomon made a bad decision.  Had he known his Scriptures better, he would have avoided this mistake.  But he didn’t.  It calls into question all his other decisions as well.  Was he being just by putting those people to death?  Did he let the right ones live?  Should he have honored the people he honored?  We may never know the answers to these questions.  We do know, however, that Solomon was sometimes wrong.  The princess of Egypt testifies to that fact.

So, how about you?  Do you struggle with tough decisions sometimes?  How often?  When you make those tough decisions, are you sometimes wrong?