The Jewelry Box

Solomon’s Silver

September 2010

“ And Solomon made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem . . .” – 2 Chronicles 9:27

He was the most wealthy and wisest of all kings. He reigned in power and peace, prosperity and abundance. He was revered by royalty near and far and called upon by both lay people and princes.

He was Solomon, the one on whom rested the very blessing and favor of God. With a profound divine discernment, he could wisely restore, revive, and reprove when needed. “So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom” (vs. 22).

That’s right, all of them.

Never before or since has there been one quite so lofty and admired.

And in his God-given wisdom and with all his vast estate at His disposal . . . he chose to give silver to his people. In fact, he made it so readily available that it was as common as the pebbles lining the dusty roads of Jerusalem. Everywhere the Hebrew people looked they could easily find and easily acquire this precious metal.

We might be impressed at Solomon’s willingness to bless his subjects with an abundance of such a precious substance, but I doubt the ancient Hebrews felt a comparable level of gratitude. You see, “silver was not considered valuable in that day” (vs. 20). It was run of the mill, ordinary, plain, unimpressive. And it wasn’t so mundane because he offered it, it was ordinary and still he offered it.

Seems there was a significance to this silver that the King’s people had forgotten.

One doesn’t even have to read of the intricate details of the temple itself, manicured with gold, brass, iron and all sorts of extravagant fabrics, to know that there were many luxuries and rare finds he could have chosen to allow them access to. And yet, while he did set forth some of these things as well, in his wisdom he still saw fit not to neglect making available the common. He chose not to disregard the silver. He provided it, not as a booby prize among all the other stellar options, but as an equal symbol of his wealth and affection for Israel. 

It was the Solomon’s silver. 

There is a King that has given us His gifts too. We are surrounded by the extravagant generosity He has bestowed upon us—and it is extravagant. Every now and then we are surprised by some ravaging display of His affection for us that rivals the most wonderful of all pleasures and miracles—it’s His gold, His iron, His precious metals and fine linen He offers to the ones whom He loves so much.

And yet, with these gifts, He has with equal affection offered His beloved . . . the silver. It’s as plentiful as the stones that line the driveway to your front door. It’s the regular, mundane, common blessings that we forget are indeed provisions from His hand as well. They are no less ravishing, no less a sign of his love for us than those dazzling displays we long for so eagerly.  

The breath you just took. 

The ordinary day you have enjoyed. 

The food that graced your table.

The friendship that’s lasted years.

The trip you returned from safely.

The fragrance of your favorite flower.

The roof that shielded you from last night’s shower.

This is Solomon’s silver. And He has prepared it without measure today . . . for you . . . and for me. The culture has called it “common” and so this silver has lost its value a bit. We’re tempted to fall in sync and forget that this bounty is really priceless and should be met with the wonder of a small child each and every time we cross it on our path. May we never despise and make familiar that which has come directly from the hand of the King.

Not just the gold. Not just the iron. Not just the rare, exotic fabrics . . . but also the silver.

Behold it.

Value it.

Treasure it.