1 Kings 3:4–14 (NLT) — 4 The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. 5 That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 6 Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. 7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”

1. The Reward of Wisdom

1. Proverbs 4:5–9 (NKJV) — 5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

2. The Pursuit of Wisdom

1. Fear the Lord
   1. Proverbs 9:10 (NLT) — 10 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
2. Embrace Humility
   1. Proverbs 11:2 (NLT) — 2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom
3. Ask for it
   1. James 1:5 (NLT) — 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
4. Have a listening heart
5. Seek godly counsel 
   1. Don’t ask fools for wisdom, they don’t have it! 
   2. Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) — 20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
6. Receive instruction and correction
   1. Proverbs 15:31 (NLT) — 31 If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
7. Pursue knowledge and understanding 
   1. Proverbs 2:2–3 (NLT) — 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.

3. The Neglect of Wisdom

1. 1 Kings 11:1–6 (NLT) — 1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. 2 The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. 3 He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the LORD. 4 In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the LORD his God, as his father, David, had been. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done.
2. Pride
3. Apathy 
4. Folly