Hidden Nuggets Series #24 – “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” – Proverbs 21:17
I’ll bet they really knew how to throw a party in King Solomon’s day.
His reign ushered in the peak of ancient Israel’s wealth and prosperity. Buoyed by the successful reign of his father King David and endowed with special wisdom from God, Solomon’s kingdom produced so much wealth, the Bible has this to say about it in I Kings 10:27:
“The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem…”
How’s that for wealthy? And everyone, rich and poor, was able to benefit.
The rising tide lifted all boats.
So you can see why I think parties were commonplace, especially at the palace. At the minimum they lived in extreme opulence. We know Solomon’s throne was made of gold and overlaid with ivory. That’s pretty sweet.
With all this wealth at his fingertips Solomon could pleasure himself with anything he wanted.
Repetition is the key to learning.
That silver or gold ring you are wearing didn’t always shine with such brilliance. When those elements were resting in the earth awaiting excavation, they had company – nasty impurities. These would have to be removed before that precious substance could be formed into something worthy enough to be displayed behind showroom glass.
What values would you betray for money? Would you take money over love? Would you lie or steal if you had a 100% chance of striking it rich?
Historians describe a revealing practice among the ancient Greeks. Apparently it was common for athletes participating in distance races and other athletic events to wear no clothing. That’s right…au naturel. Debate continues as to when and where this first occurred. The idea behind it however is clear – remove all encumbrances so the body can perform at peak efficiency.
The words found in the above verse are fitting considering the incredible task I face. At 8:00 AM tomorrow, amidst the coolness of the morning and the likelihood of rain, I will attempt to complete the Baltimore Marathon in 4 hours or less. I set this 
Two weeks from today several significant milestones will take place in the Luke1428 household. On Friday, Oct. 11th, I’ll be flying to Maryland to