While King Solomon was known as the wisest King of all, he was not exempt from sin. 1 Kings 11 teaches us that King Solomon had a lust problem which led him to marry many “strange” or pagan women. In all, he ended up marrying approximately 1000 women. As he spent time with his wives, “his heart was turned after their false gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David.” In verse 6, Solomon “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.” As a result of his half-hearted devotion, God would take away most of the kingdom of Israel from his lineage.
Half-hearted Devotion in Chores
I can relate to having half-hearted devotion… to my chores as a pre-teen. I really did not care to do them and hence, took very little pride in my work. In mowing the grass, picking up “dog dirt,” or weed whacking, the least amount of effort was my modus operandi.
I once got in trouble with my Dad for “chucking” the dog dung over the fence into the neighbor’s yard. (Not one of my finer moments) While I did enough to get paid for the chore, I was demonstrating half-hearted devotion at best.
Half-hearted Devotion at Work
It reminds me of a group of temp-workers that I saw working at a job site I was on. When the “boss” was gone, they sat in the shade next to a dumpster and did nothing for hours and hours. Jesus warned us of this attitude in Matt 24:48-51 where the evil servant says in his heart, “my Lord delays his coming.” As a result, the evil servants serve the Lord with as little effort as possible. Jesus said they ate and drank with the drunken. Is not this the attitude of many today? Halfhearted followers of Christ fellowshipping with demonic influences, resulting in corrupt morals and bankrupt faith. This is identical to Solomon’s half-hearted devotion.
Half-hearted Devotion with Focus
Jesus said in Luke 9:62 that “no man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” I have had more than one instance where I was distracted while driving the lawnmower. The result was that my line was off, and I was leaving mohawks in the lawn. Looking back or away from the task at hand will, no doubt, distract one’s pursuit. This is a primary reason why I do not watch TV or movies any longer. While there are things you could watch and not sin, most are godless and distracting and have zero positive spiritual impact. Most feed the flesh which Paul admonishes us to crucify and mortify. This causes me to have spiritual mohawks in my heart. This also reminds me of Solomon’s lukewarm heart.
The Solution
Clearly, we are in a spiritual war. We “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
We need to put on the full armor of God that we “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph 6:10
1 Tim 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Ironically, Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23, “above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”. We must guard our hearts against half-hearted devotion and lukewarmness. Like Solomon, we risk not only our earthly “kingdom;” we risk shipwrecking our faith for all eternity.
1 Pet 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
