Better Than Advertised

“And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.” I Kings 10:6-7

As Solomon’s kingdom waxed stronger, his fame spread far and wide. He was known for his uncanny ability to solve problems and his lavish display of riches. When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s great wisdom and wealth, she decided to visit him and see for herself what kind of man he was and what kind of kingdom he had built. After she had exhausted her supply of difficult questions and had seen the wonders of his palace, she declared, “The half was not told me.” She had heard great things about Solomon, but she thought that they were exaggerations. After spending time with him, she saw that his kingdom was better than advertised.

We all have a reputation. We build that reputation by the things that we do. It is possible to spend so much time building our reputation that we forget to work on making our reality what it ought to be. If we work hard enough on being what we ought to be, our reputation will eventually take care of itself. Who has the highest opinion of you, the people who are closest to you, or the people who are furthest away? Are you spending more time on the first impression or the finished product? We ought to determine to make our lives better than advertised.