In 1 Chronicles 28:10, there’s a story about a father, King David, who has a big job for his son, Solomon.
David tells Solomon, “Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.”
This wasn’t just any project; it was to build God’s temple, a place very important to history and to Christians because Jesus would one day sacrifice there.
Even though David’s famous words to his son were to “be strong and do it,” he gave Solomon two more principles that we can learn from.
1. Make a Choice
David knew Solomon had a big decision to make. In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David tells him, “if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
This means you can’t be wishy-washy about following God. Solomon shows us this because he started strong but then made some bad choices that cost him a lot.
Every day, we all have to decide if we’re going to follow God or go our own way.
2. Serving Others
David also told Solomon that building the temple wasn’t just for themselves; it was for future people too. In verse 8, David explains that the temple was for generations to come.
When we do something just for ourselves, it might not take much planning. We might jump right in because we’re excited. But when we’re thinking about others, especially those who will come after us, we need to plan carefully and think it through.
David wanted Solomon to understand this. Being excited isn’t enough to make a difference for the Lord. We need to think about how our actions will affect others, not just now but in the future.
David’s advice to Solomon is good for us today, too. Whether you’re a child or adult, choosing to follow God and thinking about how your actions will help others are big lessons that can change your life and many others.
