“That night God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O Lord God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!” Then Solomon returned to Jerusalem from the Tabernacle at the place of worship in Gibeon, and he reigned over Israel.”
‭‭‬‬

2 Chronicles‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT

After reading this passage, it might be tempting to think that what Solomon asked for God was a prescriptive request for us. After all, God honored it and then added the typical things one might ask for. Yet, this passage, for anyone that knows the story of Solomon, must be a bittersweet one, because Solomon was successful in many things, but he also managed to set up the kingdom for exile through his progeny. All the wisdom, riches, and fame would be his downfall later. This story must be read in that context. Indeed, if you do ask God for something good, God will honor that thing that is self-sacrificial toward his plans. However, it does not make you an automatic success story. It may be a good beginning to a bad end. Our focus must be twofold. Yes, secondarily, it is good to desire to be equipped for a self-sacrificial task, but first, we ought to desire that our heart be oriented and exposed to God. As David noted earlier, this is what breeds success. This is the true prescription. In this way, the coronation of Solomon is bittersweet. It is a high point in Gods blessing for the people of Israel, but it is also a fertile ground for the sinful heart to breed. As stewards of Gods blessings, we must always be aware of this.

Solomon’s Request: Solomon asked for wisdom, which God granted, but ultimately, Solomon’s success was bittersweet due to later failures.

True Prescription: The primary focus should be on desiring a heart oriented towards God, as this leads to true success.

Stewardship of Blessings: As stewards of God’s blessings, we must be aware of the potential for sinful hearts to breed even in times of blessing.