When custody disputes arise, I often consider the Biblical narrative, 1 Kings 3:16-28, which tells the story of how King Solomon resolved a custody dispute of sorts between two women who lived in the same home. The women came before King Solomon, each claiming to be the mother of the same baby boy. King Solomon called for a sword and rendered his judgment: He would cut the baby in two so that each woman could receive half. The first woman did not contest Solomon’s decision, arguing that if she could not have the baby, then neither woman could. The second woman begged King Solomon to give the baby to the other woman instead of killing the baby. King Solomon declared the second woman as the infant’s true mother, reasoning that as a mother she would give up the baby if she had to in order to save his life. Continue reading ›