Solomon was not merely intelligent. According to the biblical narrative, his wisdom was unparalleled in human history. Kings sought his counsel. Scholars admired his understanding. Entire nations respected his insight. And yet this same man—so exceptionally gifted—was not able to guard his heart from the slow influence of misdirected love.

The problem is not the product, it is the machine. So long as the machine remains faulty, every product it produces will bear its defect. The human heart functions in much the same way. If the heart itself is spiritually misaligned—if it has not first been transformed by the love of God—then the loves that emerge from it will inevitably carry that distortion. A person may speak passionately about love, pursue relationships with sincerity, and even believe deeply in their feelings.

Before romantic love awakens, the heart must first be anchored in a deeper devotion. When the earliest and strongest affection of the soul is directed toward God, every other love is shaped by that foundation. But when romantic attachment captures the heart before it has been fully anchored in God, the influence can easily move in the opposite direction.