Where are we leading?

And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. 1 Kings 3:3

Solomon frustrates me. On one hand he loved the LORD and wrote one of my favorite passages, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Solomon had great knowledge, wisdom, and largeness of heart to carry out the will of the Lord. Yet, on the other hand he burns incense on high places, breaks all three specific commands to kings by multipling gold, horses from Egypt, and wives. The wives lead him into sin to where he began to build temples to foreign gods even around Jeruslalem.

It all started with the confusion of worship at the beginning of his reign. He "loved the LORD" but followed the religious practices of the world. Do we confuse people with our actions? Do we say we love the LORD, wear the T-shirt, buy the bumper sticker, even go to church on a Sunday, but somehow our life's testimony, our internet pages, or our conversation around the kettle at work portray something different?

I personally believe Solomon repented at the end of his life. I believe we will see him in heaven. But what about all those he led into sin, perhaps even unintentionally by his confused testimony? What happened to them? A hard thought, but one to meditate on as Jesus said we are the light of the World. May our WHOLE life light the way into the arms of Jesus the only Saviour.