Are You Ready?

Life brings us all kinds of challenges. There are internal forces that challenge us, and there are external forces. There are situations that challenge us and most of all there are people who challenge us. This is not a new phenomenon, Solomon experienced it too:

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 1 Kings 10:1 (NLT)

Here we see an example of someone who achieved recognition in the known world for bringing honor to the name of the Lord. In fact his fame crossed countries, to a place identified as Sheba. While is not known exactly where Sheba was located, it is assumed that the Queen of Sheba had to travel a distance to come to Solomon. And the interesting thing about her visit was that she came to “test him with hard questions” because of the honor He gave to God.

The Queen of Sheba was not disappointed:

² Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, ⁴ she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers and their robes, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 9:2-4 (NLT)

Solomon answered all of her questions, but she also observed his ability to organize things and people. As a leader there is no doubt that she recognized the skill and the gifting that it took to oversee such a vast and lavish land. She was not only showed her amazement by what she said, she also heaped great gifts upon Solomon to show how much she was impressed.

As a believer, we are going to be challenged as well by people who hear that we honor God. Their fascination may not be as much with us, but as with our relationship with God. There will be questions, but there will also be an assessment of how we interact with those around us. In fact, it is true that someone is always basing their opinion on God by observing the way God-followers walk. The question then is, are you ready for the challenge?

Maria