Big Hearted

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.” (1 Kings 4:29)

        One of the maladies from which my paternal grandmother suffered was an enlarged heart, which is usually a symptom of other underlying problems such as high blood pressure, heart valve problems, thyroid disorder, etc. I was so young when she passed away that I’m not sure which of these finally caused her death. I say this to point out that being “big-hearted,” at least in the physical realm, is not always a good thing. And the same can be said in the emotional and spiritual realm.

        Solomon had everything a man could want. There was no one wiser or richer than he. And as if that were not enough, he was blessed with “largeness of heart.” He had a great capacity to love. And indeed he did love God, as we read in 1 Kings 3:3.

         But, unfortunately, the devil can take one of our best characteristics and use it against us. One may love deeply but not wisely. In Solomon’s case, his huge heart was easy prey for ambitious women who turned it away from his God to other gods. Sadly, we read in 1 Kings 11:4 that when he was old, “his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God.”

                        What Good?

        What good is the ability to make friends,

                           If you make the wrong ones?

        What good is zeal,

                           If it is not for a worthy cause?

        What good is intelligence,

                           If it cannot discern between truth an error?

        And what good is a big heart, 

                           If it is not right with God?