It's a Slow Fade

Solomon was the wisest man in the world, but a "however" in 1 Kings 11 talks to his foolishness:

1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.
2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.
3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.
4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

This text tells us that Solomon disregards the boundaries the Lord had set for Israel, within which they would prosper. Maybe he thought he could do so with impunity because it was just a little violation, Or, perhaps all the praises about his wisdom had gone to his head, so any decision he makes must be the wise one. Whatever it was, the first step over the boundary was likely a small one, with no immediate consequences, save perhaps a cooling in his relationship with God since the days of the dreams.

Soon he had trod over the boundaries so often, they no longer existed for him, and he had seven hundred wives! Those wives turned Solomon’s heart away from the Lord to other gods, and Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Eventually, there were consequences, as kings arose who were hostile to Solomon. But the legacy of Solomon’s violation of the Lord’s boundaries had the biggest impact on Solomon’s sons, who lost the kingdom.

How could the wisest man who ever lived be so foolish? Could it be that his wisdom was linked to the boundaries the Lord had given, and to his relationship to and dependence on the Lord?

In the full light of day, we see things in multi-colour, they way they truly are. As day turns to night however, all things take on the same gray. In the same way, if our focus moves from away from God's Word and our relationship with Him, our perspective also changes.

When our lives wander from the truths in the Word of God, things that were distinguishable right and wrong blur together. In this state, we can rationalize everything as being acceptable, especially if there are no immediate consequences.

How many innocent conversations have led to ruined marriages? or one drink to drunken actions with dire consequences? or one questionable investment to financial ruin or fraud to try to recover?

Casting Crowns, in their song "A Slow Fade", tell this story in a contemporary setting. We may think we get away with it for a while, but there will eventually be consequences for violating physical or spiritual principles underlying life. Even the wisest see life come crashing down under the weight of transgressions. As we see from Solomon, these consequences will not only impact us, but sadly also those who follow after us.