ECCLESIASTES 2:1-11 – I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
THEME OF THE DAY: LISTEN TO ONE WHO KNOWS. We have all heard the words “Experience is the best teacher.” Or maybe something about “learning in the school of hard knocks.” Likely there are other pithy sayings out there on how we learn about life. But one of the best and most reliable means of gaining insight on life is from someone who has lived it; the wisdom of the ages from those who have gone before us. In a practical way, God has given parents the privilege of passing down wisdom to their children. I know, children might be a little reluctant to see that. Words like, “You don’t understand. Times have changed. You are too old to get it” often come from our maturing kids. It was for me. It was amazing how smart and wise my parents became as I got older! Yet, we also have the wisdom of the ages found in the pages of God’s infallible and inerrant Word.
We have a book in our Bibles that is all about practical living. It is the wisdom book of Proverbs. Within its pages are a wealth of guidance on life. As examples, here are four areas occupying a lot of space; the destructive nature of uncontrolled speech, exhortations away from laziness, and warnings about sexual sin and drunkenness. But there are more places of wisdom in our Bibles to learn about life. Actually, these are not places, but people, particularly two guys we should heed by their examples; King Solomon and Job. The latter as a good one and the former a bad one.
First the bad example we should listen to who knows about the “dark side” of life – King Solomon. In today’s scripture is a part of his wisdom book of Ecclesiastes. In it, is the wisdom of the futility of trying to find purpose, contentment, and satisfaction in anyone or anything apart from a close walk with the Lord. And Solomon learned this by painful experience. He attempted the impossible and writes to warn us not to seek the world to satisfy the yearnings of the heart. They all are dead end streets ending in the destination called “vanity.” Listen to him. He will save us a ton of heartache.
The other person to sit with and learn about life is Job. He is a good example in two ways. He shows us life is hard, full of trouble, and that is the way it is in a cursed world. He also teaches us how to maintain faith in God by suffering well. Quite the teacher is Job!
So, learning about life. Perhaps the best place is to listen to someone who knows life as it really is. Try King Solomon and Job. We won’t go wrong in heeding their advice and examples.
PRAYER: “Father, thank You for giving me the truth about life through Your Word.”
QUOTE: “Immerse yourself in God’s Word so you may rightly interpret the world.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim