Solomon Asks for Wisdom
1 Kings 2:1-4; 3:3-28
C hildren this age are excited about school. Some have started kindergarten. Others learn kindergarten concepts at home, while anticipating the day they’ll start formal
schooling. Starting school is a rite of passage for kids. Build on children’s enthusiasm for learning as you teach this lesson. Help kids understand that God has some important lessons to teach. If a grown-up king like Solomon could benefit from God’s wisdom, little children can, too.
LESSON / WHAT CHILDREN DO / SUPPLIES / EASY PREP1
Getting
Started
about 10 min. / Welcoming Song
Sing or listen to a
song about friendship. / signal, CD player
Teacher Pack: CD
2
Key Verse
Activity
about 10 min. / Your Whole Heart
Try to put together a
puzzle of a heart. / Bible, scissors,
marker, poster board / Create a heart-shaped puzzle
with one piece for each child.
3
Bible
Exploration
about 15 min. / Theo’s News
Find out what a
crown has to do with
today’s Scripture. / Surprise Box (any box
will do), Theo puppet, toy crown (actual or a drawing), CD player, Teacher Pack: CD / Put the toy crown inside the
Surprise Box, and hide the box where it’s easily accessible.
Bible Time: Solomon
Asks for Wisdom
Learn how God gave
Solomon wisdom. / Bible, 1 copy for
every 2 children of
the “Baby” picture (at
the end of the lesson)
►Bible Point
God teaches us.
Key Verse
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).
Weaving Faith Into Life
Children will trust God to teach them wisdom.
Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 5 Fall Quarter
48
LESSON / WHAT CHILDREN DO / SUPPLIES / EASY PREP4
Weaving
Faith
Into Life
about 20 min.
(Choose 2 centers.) / Center 1: Solomon’s
Wisdom
Help Solomon decide
which woman is the
baby’s mother. / My Bible Playground,
scissors, tape / Remove the Lesson 5
pages from each My Bible
Playground student book.
Center 2: Wisdom Trail
Mix
Identify items that would
taste good in a trail mix,
and reject ones that would
taste bad. / 1 paper cup or bowl
and 1 plastic spoon
per child, cereal,
banana chips, raisins,
mini-pretzels, onions,
pepper, mustard,
antibacterial gel
(optional)
Center 3: Catch the
Crown
Play a flying disk game,
and tell what they’d like to
learn from God. / Teacher Pack: loop
saucer
Center 4: Wisdom
Memory Book
Make a book to record
ways that God teaches
them. / 1 sheet of card
stock, 5 sheets of
plain paper, and one
12-inch piece of yarn
per child; hole punch;
markers; glitter; glue;
stickers
5
Lasting
Impressions
about 10 min. / Be a FaithWeaver
Choose a Daily Challenge
to apply God’s Word. / My Bible Playground
Wisdom Prayer
Say an active prayer
thanking God for teaching
them.
Weaving Faith at Home
Talk about how to share
what they learned with
their families.
Fall Quarter Lesson 5 Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6
49
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
1 Kings 2:1-4; 3:3-28
BIBLe BACKGROUND
FOR LEADERS
Solomon Succeeds David
David’s charge to Solomon in 1 Kings 2:2-4 echoes the words of Deuteronomy 11. Apart from his sin with Bathsheba, David had consistently been obedient
to God throughout his life, and he advised his son to do the same. God had promised David that his descendants would remain on the throne as long as they honored God. David’s wish was for Solomon as well as for himself.
Solomon’s Request
Once established on the throne, Solomon sought to follow the Lord. His habit of offering sacrifices at the “high places” (1 Kings 3:3) was questionable, however. The high places were altars left from the pagan worship prevalent in Canaan before the Israelites took over the land. Even though the law of Moses demanded that the Israelites not use pagan altars for worshipping God, it appears that this was a common practice in Solomon’s time. After all, there was not yet a temple at which to worship. Gibeon was an important place of worship because the tabernacle and the bronze altar were kept there (1 Chronicles 21:29; 2 Chronicles 1:2-6). God must have honored Solomon’s worship and sacrifices there to some degree because God appeared to Solomon there and offered Solomon whatever he wanted.
Solomon’s request for wisdom pleased God. Solomon could have asked for power, riches, or fame; instead he unselfishly asked for what would help him best rule God’s people. God honored Solomon’s unselfishness by granting his wish and giving him power, riches, and fame as well. Solomon’s response was to return to Jerusalem and again offer sacrifices to God.
Solomon Practices Wisdom
The best-known example of Solomon’s wisdom is related in 1 Kings 3:16-28. This story dramatically
illustrates the creative wisdom God bestowed upon Solomon. The final verse of this passage relates the people’s wonder when they witnessed their king’s wisdom. Solomon had asked God for discernment in ruling God’s people, and there was no doubt that his prayer was answered.
The Jesus Connection
Jesus doesn’t expect us to have all the answers. All we need to be wise is a willingness to constantly turn to Jesus, asking him for direction—just as Solomon turned to God.
Reread 1 Kings 3:16-28. Solomon needed wisdom to rule God’s people well. What do you need wisdom for?
In which areas of your life are you struggling for answers?
James 1:5 says that God generously gives wisdom to people who ask him for it. Take a minute and ask for wisdom right now. You can write your prayer here.
Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 5 Fall Quarter
50
Welcoming Song
Supplies
signal CD player
Teacher Pack
CD: “We Have a Friend” (track 4)
Your Whole Heart
Supplies
Bible scissors marker poster board
Your Whole Heart
Easy Prep
Create a heart-shaped puzzle with one piece for each child.
GETTING
STARTED
Welcoming Song
Tip Consistently use the same signal to announce a transition to the
next activity. You could flip the lights off and on, use a train whistle, have a puppet rustling inside a bag, or sing cleanup songs. Keep it simple, consistent, and fun.
What You’ll Do
As the children arrive, greet each one with a smile. When it’s time to begin, use your signal to gather the children together in a circle on the floor. Encourage the kids to join you in singing “We Have a Friend” (track 4 on the CD) to the tune of “Ten Little Indians”
We have a friend whose name is [first child’s name]. We have a friend whose name is [second child’s name]. We have a friend whose name is [third child’s name].
We’re so glad you’re here today.
(Repeat 2x.)
Repeat the song until all the children have been mentioned.
Say: I’m so glad you’re all here today and I’m so glad that Jesus is a friend to each of us. Today we’ll learn all sorts of things because ►GOD TEACHES US.
2 KEY VERSE
ACTIVITY
Your Whole Heart
What You’ll Do
Have the children form a circle and sit down. Open your Bible to Proverbs 3:5, and show children the words.
Say: Our Key Verse from the Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” This means we lean on God instead of trying to do things on our own. Let’s say our verse together. Lead the children in repeating the Key Verse with you: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).
Fall Quarter Lesson 5 Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6
51
Give each child a piece of the puzzle heart. Have children come to the center of the circle one at a time and place their puzzle piece in the correct spot. When they put their puzzle piece where it goes, encourage them to say a way they can trust God. When the puzzle is complete, congratulate them for making a whole heart and remind them that we can trust in the Lord with all our heart.
Talk With Kids
Ask:
§ What do you think it means to trust God with all our heart?
§ What would it look like if we gave God only one piece of our heart?
Say: When we trust God with all our heart, ►GOD TEACHES US and helps us know what to do. Lead the children in repeating the Key Verse with you: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).
3 BIBLE
EXPLORATION
Theo’s News
What You’ll Do
Say: Friends, it’s time for Theo’s News!
Have the children sit in a circle, and then play “Here, Theo” (track 2 on the CD). When the CD segment ends, bring out the Surprise Box, and put Theophilus the FaithRetriever puppet on your hand. Then follow along with the script.
Theo: Hi, everybody!
Teacher: Hello, Theo! Tell us what interesting news you’ve dug up about the Bible today. Theo: I hid it in the Surprise Box.
Teacher: Let’s look inside to see what Theo dug up for us today.
(Choose a child to open the Surprise Box, and have the kids pass the crown around the circle so everyone can see it up close. Give the children time to guess what they’ll learn about in the Bible today.)
Teacher: Theo, why did you hide this crown in the Surprise Box? Theo: Well, in the Bible today someone wears a crown.
Teacher: Friends, would a person wearing a crown need to ask God for wisdom? Why or why not?
(Pause for kids to answer your question.)
Theo: Today we’ll learn about a king who asked God for wisdom. And God taught him many things. ►GOD TEACHES US, too.
Teacher: Friends, let’s learn what happened! Theo: Have fun, boys and girls!
Teacher: Say goodbye to Theo.
Theo’s News
Supplies
Surprise Box (any box will do)
Theo puppet
toy crown (actual or a drawing)
CD player
Teacher Pack:
CD: “Here, Theo” (track 2)
Theo’s News
Easy Prep
Put the toy crown inside the Surprise Box, and hide the box where it’s easily accessible.
Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6 Lesson 5 Fall Quarter
52
Bible Time: Solomon
Asks for Wisdom
Supplies
Bible
1 copy for every 2
children of the “Baby” picture (at the end of the lesson)
Encourage the children to wave or say goodbye to Theo. Then put Theo away in a safe place for next week’s use.
Bible Time: Solomon Asks for Wisdom
What You’ll Do
Have children sit in a circle. Open your Bible to 1 Kings, and show the children the words.
Say: I’m going to tell you about King Solomon. Listen closely and when you hear the word wisdom, say “God teaches us.” Ready?
When King David died, his son Solomon became the new king. Solomon knew that his father had been a very good king, and he wanted to be a good king, too. One night King Solomon had a dream. God said he would give Solomon anything he wanted. So Solomon prayed and asked God to give him wisdom (pause) to be a good king. God was very pleased that Solomon didn’t ask for selfish things like a long life or lots of money. So God gave Solomon great wisdom (pause)—and God also gave Solomon money and a long life. Solomon soon had a chance to show everyone the wisdom (pause) he had received from God.
Pass out the pictures to the children, knowing that not every child will get one.
Say: Oops! I don’t have enough for everyone.
Ask:
§ What do you think I should do?
Have children form pairs so that each pair has one picture.
Say: In the Bible, two women brought a problem to Solomon one day. The women were fighting over one baby! Each woman said the baby was hers. Have partners pretend to fight over the baby pictures. Then have children place the pictures on the floor in front of them. Solomon said, “I’ll solve this problem. Each of you can have half of the baby.”
Ask:
§ Do you think that was a good idea? Why or why not?
Say: When Solomon said that each woman could have half of the baby, the first woman told Solomon to go ahead. Have one of the partners pretend that they’re going to tear the picture in half. But the second woman cried out, “No! Please keep the baby in one piece. Let the other woman have him.” Have the child holding the picture give it to the other child in the pair. Solomon wouldn’t really have split the baby in half to give to the two women. He only said that to find out which one of the women was the baby’s real mother.
Fall Quarter Lesson 5 Pre-K & K/Ages 5 & 6
Ask:
§ Which woman do you think was the baby’s real mother? Why?
Say: King Solomon knew that the baby belonged to the woman who loved the baby and didn’t want him to be hurt. Only the true mother was willing to give the baby away to keep him from getting hurt, so King Solomon gave the mother her baby.
Talk With Kids
Ask:
§ How can you tell that God taught Solomon wisdom?
§ What would you like God to teach you?
Say: Solomon was wise because God gave him wisdom. God will give us wisdom, too, if we ask him, because ►GOD TEACHES US many things. Because Solomon loved and worshipped God, Solomon asked God for wisdom. We can be like Solomon and ask God for wisdom, too!