A Big Heart

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

I Kings 4:29

I don’t know if this verse is where the phrase “big hearted” comes from, but it does carry that connotation.  The first part of the verse is great and something that we could all be praying for and working toward: “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much…”  It should be our desire to have “exceeding much” wisdom and understanding.  That is where studying and meditating on the Bible comes in to play.  The Bible and the Holy Spirit can give us the wisdom and understanding that we need to deal with any situation that may come into our lives. 

But it is the second part of the verse that I have been thinking about this morning.  “And largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore”.  To be totally honest with you, I am not sure exactly what is meant by this phrase as it is applies to Solomon in the context of the verse.  I looked up a few commentators and they didn’t seem to have a satisfactory answer either.  Some said it may have had something to do with Solomon’s ability to teach and apply his wisdom, which may be true.  But whatever the exact meaning, we do know that it was the Lord who gave Solomon his “largeness of heart”. 

When I think of largeness of heart, I think of someone having a “big heart”.  When you think about people who could be described as having “big hearts”, you invariably think of someone who is generous and kind and puts others before themselves.Generosity, kindness and selflessness are all qualities that we should be striving to possess.  And it is God who can give us those qualities. 

When I think of “small hearted”, I always think of the Grinch.  I love listening to the classic Grinch around Christmas, and I always think of the Grinch’s small heart and how it “grew” at the end of the story.  So many Christians are living their lives like spiritual Grinches, they are not generous or kind and they are very self-centered.  That is not the way it should be.