The stories of the Bible are not fairy tales!

Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn . . . (1 Kings 2:1-3)

As Solomon took over for David, there was much blood shed and violence. Decisions had to be made and lives were in the balance. There was no time for compromise or back room deals to be made. God's will needed to be carried out swiftly.

The violence in these verses makes them difficult to read. Revenge was the order of the day. But we must remember that the stories of the Bible are not fairy tales! Battles were fought, men and women died. God had given Solomon the throne, but that did not mean he would be exempt from the challenges that came with possessing it.

We face at work or at home that are sometimes challenging and even distasteful. Our challenges are not fairy tales either. They are real and life changing to us, even if not to others.  

Rather than seeing them as a burden, what if we viewed them as God’s appointed work? Let's ask God for His wisdom as we engage in these difficult situations, that He will help us act in obedience to Him.