And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. – 1 Kings 10:10

Today's Scripture Reading (January 24, 2026): 1 Kings 10

We are all created differently. We have different strengths and weaknesses. We have different abilities. And we have different access. This catalogue of differences is what makes networking such an important activity. As we build relationships with diverse people, we open ourselves to many possibilities if we are willing to make use of them.

Of course, so do they. There are many things we can do that others can't. This means we need to understand our own catalogue of abilities and how others might use them. I believe that the American Dream, consisting of the idea that "anyone can become anything that they want," is essentially a lie. There are many things we can achieve, but the best way to succeed in our culture is to build on what we can do, rather than attempting to copy others or pursue something for which we are not well-suited.

All of this brings me back to a concept popularized by Marcus Buckingham, who argues that to succeed, we should focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses. If we work on what we are weak at, the best we can hope for is to be average. But if we work on our strengths, it is there that we can learn to excel. It reminds me of an exchange between Curly, the rugged cowboy, and Mitch, the city boy, in the 1991 movie "City Slickers."

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? [points index finger skyward] This.

Mitch: Your finger?

Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that, and the rest don't mean sh*t.

Mitch: But, what is the "one thing?"

Curly: [smiles and points his finger at Mitch] That's what you have to find out.

Success in life often depends on identifying Curly's "one thing."

The Queen of Sheba had answered that question for her nation. What they possessed was spices, and what they did better than anyone else was gather and process those spices. It was that ability that made the Queen rich, and that prowess was what she was willing to share with Solomon. We might dispute what she received in return, but she received something, even if it was only an essential alliance with Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 9

If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. – Song of Songs 8:9

Today's Scripture Reading (January 23, 2026): Song of Songs 8

I had several nicknames as a kid. Some were based on my name; I was often called "Watermullen," and one family friend called me "Garrybaldi." I hoped that the latter wasn't a comment on my future hairline, and so far, it hasn't been. Some nicknames were based on my age. For a while, I was just referred to as "kid." Some were based on my physical features, such as nicknames like "The Incredible Bulk," and one that connects more closely to this verse in Song of Songs: "The Brick Wall." This last nickname was based on the idea that, in several games, it was difficult to get anything past me. I remember several times when I was playing floor hockey, which can be a very physical game, at least the way I play it, opposing players would sometimes run into me and subsequently bounce off of me and land on the floor.

The idea of hitting an object and bouncing off of it is a feature of a well-built wall. I was the Youth Pastor at a church with a lower level featuring a central hallway that formed a square. And kids being kids, there was more than one time when the guys, it was almost always guys, would get into a chase around the square. Often, especially in winter, the guys were wearing only socks, which meant they would race down one straight hallway, then negotiate a 90-degree turn to race down another straight hallway. Often, one of the guys couldn't make the turn and ended up crashing into the wall. And a few times, the crash would put a hole in the wall, usually in the shape of a teenage head, which exasperated the building maintenance people. At other times, it was the kid who took the brunt of the damage. But there were no instances in which the collision caused the wall to fall. In every instance, the wall was the ultimate victor.

The friends suggest two possible outcomes: either the bride was a wall or a door. If she were a wall, if she were strong and stable and unable to be moved, then she would be adorned with silver. However, if she was easily moved or in the language of her friends, a door that could be easily opened or swayed, then precautions would have to be made to secure access to her. Theologian S. Craig Glickman phrases it this way: "If she could handle responsibility, they would give it to her; if not, she would be restricted" (S. Craig Glickman, "Solomon's Song of Love.)

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 10

 

Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle. – Song of Songs 7:3

Today's Scripture Reading (January 22, 2026): Song of Songs 7

In an episode of M.A.S.H., Father Mulcahey walks into the recovery ward of the hospital to find a patient reading the Bible. "Ah, spending some time in the Good Book," the priest remarks upon seeing the patient with the Bible in his hands. The patient responded by looking back at the priest, sheepishly.

The M.A.S.H. priest continued, "No need to be embarrassed. When I'm feeling low, I like to spend time reading the Bible. So, what are you reading?" He looks over to see what the patient is reading and recognizes that it is the Song of Songs. "Oh, yes, well, the Song of Solomon, maybe in your condition you should read something a little less … stimulating."

Mulcahey effectively captures the church's attitude toward the Song of Songs. Many people become very uncomfortable when confronted with Solomon's love song. We don't know how to read it. And when we try to interpret it as a love song that sums up God's love for us, it only makes us even more uncomfortable. Is it possible that this is the way that God feels toward us? 

We are more comfortable with the metaphor of God as the Potter and us as the clay. That expression we turn into songs and sing about; at times, this is the relationship we need with God. There are times when we come into the presence of God as broken people and need the shaping power of God in our lives.

The Bible also talks of God being the Good Shepherd, with us as His sheep. There is a significant difference between clay and sheep. I know how much I need God's guiding touch in my life, but I also have to admit that sheep don't exactly have a reputation as the most graceful and intelligent creatures in the world.

We are also called His children, and He is our Heavenly Father. If God truly wants an intimate relationship with us, this is where that relationship finally becomes possible. We aren't just servants, or sheep, or lumps of clay to be molded, but we are the children of the King. This parent-child relationship is likely where we feel most comfortable. Children of the King seems to be a good place to be.

The analogies continue. The Bible says that God calls us "friends." There is an added intimacy between friends that doesn't exist between a five-year-old and his parents. God calling us a friend implies that God sees something in us. Too often, we refuse to see that side of the equation. The God of creation sees something of enough value in me to call me a friend. 

But it doesn't stop even there. The level of intimacy God desires goes even beyond being a friend. He calls us "lovers." Paul writes, "' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:31-32). God speaks to Isaiah, saying, "As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you" (Isaiah 62:5).

The words of the Song of Songs might be more explicit, but they reflect a similar intimacy as to what both Paul and Isaiah are trying to describe to us. They are the words of one who loves every aspect of the object of his attention, much as a groom might describe his new bride.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 8

You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners. – Song of Songs 6:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 21, 2026): Song of Songs 6

Capital cities vary in size and shape. Some are old and antiquated; others are newer and often the result of significant planning. Some Capitals are beautiful, others are ugly, and frequently the ugliness is a direct result of war and crime. When Donald Trump ordered troops into Washington, D.C. in 2025, the President seemed to indicate that his concern was that the American Capital had become ugly because of the high crime rate in the city. Historically, he was probably right. Washington, D.C., had become a dangerous city. But at the time of President Trump’s order, crime in the city had hit a 30-year low. Still, an argument can be made that crime in a city, especially a capital city, can never be too low.

I recently read an article that listed the ugliest capital cities in the world. This list of the ugly included Damascus, Syria, primarily due to the devastating effects of a civil war. It also listed Lagos, Nigeria, because of high crime rates, a lack of adequate infrastructure, and overcrowding, as well as Tripoli, Libya, because of political instability. Recent events might require us to add Caracas, Venezuela, to this list. Caracas is plagued by crime, hyperinflation, and economic instability, all of which diminish the city's appeal.

On the other side of this coin are the beautiful capitals of the world: cities such as Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Islamabad, Pakistan. Maybe that last city is a bit of a surprise to those of us living in the West. However, Islamabad is known for its natural beauty. The city is nestled in the Margalla Hills and is recognized for its lush greenery and modern architecture.

There are many questions surrounding the Song of Songs, including who really wrote it. Solomon is the traditional author, and it is possible that the last King of the United Kingdom of Israel wrote it. We sometimes like to think that this King wrote it to Abishag, the beautiful woman who appears to have been used as a pawn for a significant portion of her early life, including being chosen to warm King David’s bed during the last days of his life. But it is equally possible that it was written by someone else.

If King Solomon wrote it, one problematic passage is this one, in which the author compares his bride to the beauty of Tirzah and Jerusalem. Both cities are capitals, and both are considered very beautiful by the author. The problem is that Tirzah might have been a lovely city; the name of the city itself means “delight” or “pleasantness.” However, if the Song of Songs was written by Solomon somewhere around 950 B.C.E., Tirzah wasn’t a capital city; therefore, it was not a city on par with Jerusalem. Tirzah didn’t become the Capital of the Kingdom of Israel and the counterpart of Jerusalem until after the death of Solomon in 931 B.C.E. It remained the Capital city of the Northern Kingdom until Omri burnt Tirzah when he took control of the Kingdom in 886 B.C.E. At that time, Omri moved the Capital of the Northern Kingdom to Samaria. This comment about Tirzah would seem to indicate that the Song of Songs was written between 930 and 886 B.C.E.

However, whoever wrote Song of Songs compares his bride to the most beautiful cities that he could imagine: Jerusalem, the Capital of Judah, and Tirzah, the Capital of Israel.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 7

I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer. – Song of Songs 5:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 20, 2026): Song of Songs 5

Most couples have stories of times when there was a miscommunication. Maybe how we react to those moments is the real story of our relationships. My wife and I have had a few humorous moments, although they were probably not so funny at the time.

One such moment came early in our relationship. During our college years, we both lived in the dormitory with many other students. We hadn’t been dating for long when, one evening, a few of the guys came up to me to warn me that someone was making a move on my girlfriend. According to my “friends,” someone had decided that she was the one for him and, at this very moment, was proposing marriage. I have no idea if he was. Over the years, I have teased my wife about this moment, but we have never really discussed it.

As I mentioned, the event took place relatively early in our relationship, and I wasn’t sure what any of my “spies” expected me to do about the situation. I hung around some of the public areas I knew she frequented. Later that evening, we saw each other, and as I remember it, neither of us made a big deal of what had just happened. However, it is entirely possible that our relationship would have progressed differently if I had responded differently.

There is so much that could be said about this passage in Song of Songs. Experts make the most out of a possible “double entendre” throughout this group of verses and throughout the whole book. However, regardless of the meaning we find in this passage, it appears that the bride is hesitant about what comes next. There are excuses offered, but none of them change the reality that by the time the bride is ready to welcome her beloved, her beloved is no longer ready for her.

The groom could have been frustrated over his beloved’s hesitancy to welcome him. He could have stomped off angrily, but there is no evidence in this passage that he reacts in this manner. Instead, he patiently waits for his bride to welcome him. He leaves to give her the space she requires in this moment, rather than demand or force what it is that he wants. For a King in antiquity, it is an unusual response, but one from which we can all learn.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 6

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. – Song of Songs 4:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 19, 2026): Song of Songs 4

They are called “Consanguinity Laws,” the regulations that govern how close a relative you are allowed to marry. Most societies and cultures have either laws or taboos about marrying a close relative. And with good reason. The problem is that marrying someone with a very similar gene pool can have adverse effects on health. Recessive traits are more likely to become dominant in a child whose parents share similar genetic backgrounds. Couples who are related to each other are recommended to have genetic counselling to explore some of the problems that such a union might produce.

As a result, many cultures have incorporated regulations concerning such marriages into their laws. In the United States, it is the individual States that enact these laws. As a result, they vary from state to state. Marrying close relatives, such as siblings, parents, or children, is widely prohibited. The variance arises with the union of first cousins. In some states, such as California or New York, marrying a first cousin is legal, while in states like Virginia and Tennessee, such unions are prohibited. In Canada, marriage between first cousins is legal, although it is not generally culturally accepted.

I have mentioned elsewhere in this blog that there has been some inbreeding in my family. My paternal grandparents shared the same surname. When they married, my grandmother’s maiden name did not change. She was Fanny Mullen all of her life and didn’t have to change her last name when she married my grandfather. They were eighth cousins, a relationship distance commonly declared acceptable by law, but some in the family disagreed on cultural grounds. Culturally, some people believed that even eighth cousins were too close to permit marriage. My grandparents paid no heed to those complaints.

But the cultural aversion is so great that it often intrudes into relationships between unrelated people. I recall one friend remarking that his relationship with another woman had been so close since childhood that he never considered dating her. The reason? He said, “It would be like dating my sister.” Even though the woman wasn’t his sister, the taboo seemed to be still in place.

It hasn’t always been that way. And so, Solomon writes, “You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride.” The words are probably enough to produce a collective “Eww” from most siblings. But in Solomon’s day, it was a common description of your bride. The love a brother held for a sister was supreme. Nothing could top the dedication of a brother to his sister. Not even a wife. However, in this case, Solomon is so much in love with his bride that he argues she has become “like a sister” to him. And there is no collective “Eww” that was ever expected.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 5

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. “Have you seen the one my heart loves?” – Song of Songs 3:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 18, 2026): Song of Songs 3

I attended High School in a small town. As a result, most of us kids had a pretty good relationship with the local police officers. There were only four or five officers responsible for the area, and it seemed like they wanted to build relationships with at least some of us kids. That meant that we felt pretty comfortable being around them. I recall one incident in which a Check Stop was set up on a local bridge. Everyone coming into town had to cross the bridge; there were no other choices other than to drive at least a couple of hours out of your way so that you could approach the town from a different direction.

So, I drove up to the Check Stop. I hadn’t been drinking or doing anything illegal, just a kid trying to make his way home. The officer, whom I knew slightly, approached my window and requested my license, insurance, and registration. No other traffic was on the bridge, so it was just me and this young police officer. I retrieved my wallet, gave the officer my license, and then leaned over to open the glove compartment to get my registration and insurance. The registration was right where it was supposed to be; however, the insurance card was missing.

The police officer was not impressed and started to really press me. Did I know what the penalty was for driving without insurance? I assured him that I had insurance; I just couldn’t find my proof of insurance. I offered to bring my insurance to the police station the next day, but the officer wasn’t buying any of it. At one point, I wondered whether I would be arrested for driving without an insurance card. Again, it was a small town, and one of the local officials who was responsible for the jail was a friend (and my boss at my part-time job), and he had warned me that he didn’t ever want to be woken up to find out that I was spending the night in the local lock-up. And to this point, he never had.

Just as my fear was reaching its peak, a car pulled up behind me. The officer handed me back my license and insurance with the words, “Get lost, Garry. I have a real customer.” My “police confrontation” had a good ending. Still, maybe for a moment, I understood a little of what some minorities in several places in the world experience every time they encounter a police official. (I found my insurance card the next day. It had fallen to the floor when I pulled out the insurance. In the darkness of the night on the bridge, I couldn’t see it.)

The bride would have had a good relationship with the Watchman. But it wasn’t the watchman for whom she was searching. It was her beloved. She would ask if he had seen him, but then she would move on. I love the way Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) describes this passage.

She did not sit down, and say to any one of them, “O watchman of the night, thy company cheers me! The streets are lonely and dangerous; but if thou art near, I feel perfectly safe, and I will be content to stay awhile with thee.” Nay, but she leaves the watchmen, and still goes along the streets until she finds him whom her soul loveth (Charles Spurgeon).

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 4