February 16, 2024

Learn to Live by Preparing to Die

Ecclesiastes 7

Craig Wenning
Friday's Devo

February 16, 2024

Friday's Devo

February 16, 2024

Friday's Devo

February 16, 2024

Friday's Devo

February 16, 2024

Big Book Idea

God defines where true meaning is found.

Key Verse | Ecclesiastes 7:2

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

Ecclesiastes 7

The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly

1  A good name is better than precious ointment,
    and the day of death than the day of birth.
2  It is better to go to the house of mourning
    than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
    and the living will lay it to heart.
3  Sorrow is better than laughter,
    for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
    but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5  It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
    than to hear the song of fools.
6  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
    so is the laughter of the fools;
    this also is vanity. 1 7:6 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a vapor or mere breath (see note on 1:2)
7  Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,
    and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8  Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
    and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9  Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
    for anger lodges in the heart 2 7:9 Hebrew in the bosom of fools.
10  Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
    For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11  Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
    an advantage to those who see the sun.
12  For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
    and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13  Consider the work of God:
    who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

15 In my vain 3 7:15 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a vapor or mere breath (see note on 1:2) life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— 28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Footnotes

[1] 7:6 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
[2] 7:9 Hebrew in the bosom
[3] 7:15 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Table of Contents
Introduction to Ecclesiastes

Introduction to Ecclesiastes

Timeline

Author

The author of Ecclesiastes calls himself “the Preacher” (1:1). Some interpreters have concluded that this was Solomon, while others think he was a role-playing writer later than Solomon. Either way, the book claims that its wisdom comes from the “one Shepherd” (12:11), the Lord himself.

Theme and Interpretation of Ecclesiastes

The theme of Ecclesiastes is the necessity of fearing God in this fallen, confusing world. Each human being wants to understand all the ways God is acting in the world, but he cannot, because he is not God. And yet the faithful do not despair but cling to God, even when they cannot see what God is doing. The Lord deserves his people’s trust. They can leave everything to him while they seek to understand what it means to “fear God and keep his commandments” (12:13). This is true wisdom.

Key Themes

  1. The tragic reality of the fall. The Preacher is painfully aware that the creation has been damaged by sin (7:29; Rom. 8:20, 22). He speaks as one who eagerly awaits the resurrection age (Rom. 8:23).
  2. The “vanity” of life. The book begins and ends with the exclamation, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccles. 1:2; 12:8). The phrase pictures something fleeting and elusive. All the endeavors and pleasures of earthly life are only temporary. When one sees the consequences of sin in this fallen world, one is left in utter frustration, anger, and sorrow. The more one tries to understand life, the more mysterious it becomes (1:12–18).
  3. Sin and death. By sinning, human beings forfeited the righteousness they originally had before God (7:29), and thus all people are sinners (7:20). Death was a result of the fall. The Preacher is only too aware of this dreadful reality that affects everyone (e.g., 2:14–17; 3:18–21; 6:6).
  4. The joy and the frustration of work. God gave Adam work to accomplish prior to the fall, but part of the punishment of his sin was that his work would become difficult (Gen. 2:15; 3:17–19). Both realities are seen in the Preacher’s experience, as he finds his work to be both satisfying (Eccles. 2:10, 24; 3:22; 5:18–20; 9:9–10) and aggravating (2:18–23; 4:4–8).
  5. The grateful enjoyment of God’s good gifts. The Preacher spends a great deal of time commenting on the twisted realities of a fallen world, but this does not blind him to the beauty of God’s world (3:11). Nor does it cause him to despise God’s good gifts of human relationships, food, drink, and satisfying labor (5:18–20; 8:15; 9:7, 9). These are to be received humbly and enjoyed fully as blessings from God.
  6. The fear of God. The fact that “all is vanity” should drive people to take refuge in God, fearing and revering him (7:18; 8:12–13; 12:13–14).

Outline

  1. Introduction and Theme (1:1–3)
  2. First Catalog of “Vanities” (1:4–2:26)
  3. Poem: A Time for Everything (3:1–8)
  4. Fear God, the Sovereign One (3:9–15)
  5. Second Catalog of “Vanities” (3:16–4:16)
  6. Fear God, the Holy and Righteous One (5:1–7)
  7. Life “Under the Sun” (5:8–7:24)
  8. The Heart of the Problem: Sin (7:25–29)
  9. More on Life “Under the Sun” (8:1–12:7)
  10. Final Conclusion and Epilogue (12:8–14)
The Global Message of Ecclesiastes

The Global Message of Ecclesiastes

Life in a Broken World

The book of Ecclesiastes explains the world in all its complexity, confusion, and frustration with striking honesty. “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity,” declares the Preacher, echoing the cries of many who have seen, experienced, and recognized the dreadful fallenness of our world (Eccles. 1:2). The global reality both then and now is that our broken world is filled with oppression of the powerless (4:1), oppression of the poor (5:8), and violation of justice and righteousness (5:8). There is nothing new under the sun (1:9), no lasting earthly glory (1:11), no ultimately fulfilling pleasure (2:1–11), and no certainty in life except that it will end in death and judgment (2:14–16; 3:18–20; 6:6; 12:14).

In a fallen world there are many painful and complicated questions, but the message of Ecclesiastes is that there is an answer. That answer is not an easy one, but it is simple: fear the Lord (Eccles. 3:14; 5:7; 12:13–14). Though this world is filled with oppression and injustice, ultimately it will be well for those who fear God (8:12) and it will not be well for the wicked (8:13).

This world is filled with both blessings and challenges, neither of which provides ultimate answers or clarity about the meaning of life. If this world is all there is, then all is vanity. But when we trust the Lord in the face of circumstances that discourage us from doing so, we have a sure hope that we will one day be restored to him. Indeed, from a whole-Bible perspective, there is one who is the way (John 14:6), who is the comforter (2 Cor. 1:3), who is wisdom itself (1 Cor. 1:24). We will not easily figure God out, nor can we fathom all that he does (Eccles. 3:11). He is not a subject to be scrutinized or solved, nor are his ways easily comprehended (8:17). But God has spoken to us in his Son, who gives us the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

Purpose in Life and the Purpose of Life

The message of Ecclesiastes is that however difficult things may be because of the curse upon mankind in this fallen world, there is purpose and grace for all. There is enduring hope and satisfying life as we walk with God. The very gifts of God that, apart from God, prove hollow and disappointing, can be enjoyed truly and satisfyingly—not as the main purpose of life but as a means to know God in a deeper way. Our message to the world is that there is purpose in life regarding the blessings we receive from God such as food, drink, and work, but that these blessings are not the purpose of life.

Purpose in life. There is a proper place, time, and perspective for each season in life and for each blessing from God (Eccles. 3:1–8). The blessings of common grace are to be recognized as coming from the very hand of God. Work and its enjoyment are blessings from God (2:24; 3:22; 5:18–20). There is purpose in life for work, but neither work itself nor the hoarding of possessions are the purpose of life. When work becomes the governing purpose of life, when envy is our driving force, or when we seek satisfaction in wealth, we are left disappointed (2:18–23; 4:4). There is purpose in life for other gifts of common grace such as food, drink, and relationships (2:24–26; 3:12–13; 5:18–20; 8:15; 9:7, 9). The proper enjoyment of such gifts comes from God, who alone satisfies (3:13; 5:19).

The purpose of life. This then is the purpose of life: to fear God, who is sovereign (Eccles. 3:11, 14), holy in heaven (5:2, 7), and judge of all (12:13–14). He is the Giver of gifts and the one who grants even the ability to enjoy these gifts (5:19). In receiving such gifts of life we are to find our greatest joy in him (5:20).

The Global Church’s Mission to a Broken World

The book of Ecclesiastes provides a brutally honest and refreshing message for the global church to proclaim to the world. In one sense the Christian message is other-worldly, yet it also addresses the sober realities that face each society and every individual in every generation. The message of the gospel not only affirms the disappointments of life, it also offers the only true hope for meaningful living.

The Giver and the gifts. There is a Creator to be worshiped (Eccles. 12:1). He has made all things. Life is to be enjoyed as being from him and to him. The world must recognize the blessed common grace they have received in creation, life, work, and possessions. They should enjoy such blessings, but not as the purpose of life. The global church has a message of hope for a world that is “striving after wind” (1:14). Clinging to the gift rather than worshiping the Giver is meaningless. The wealthy are not to be envied, for they find neither ultimate satisfaction nor eternal security in their wealth (5:10–17). It is far better to enjoy fellowship with the Giver rather than simply enjoying his gifts, however good they may be.

The ultimate gift. Enjoyment of God is available ultimately because he sent his Son to die on behalf of sinners. There is none who is righteous before God (Eccles. 7:20). No one can escape death (2:16; 9:3, 12). God’s ways cannot be easily or fully fathomed (3:11), but he has indeed revealed himself clearly and gloriously in the person of his Son Jesus Christ (John 14:9). In the Son we have seen the one who both demonstrates and also empowers what it means to truly fear and enjoy God. There is grace abundant for all who recognize the vanity of their selfish living and remember and fear their Creator (Eccles. 12:1) and Redeemer (Isa. 54:5).

A sure hope. While Ecclesiastes sobers us with the reminder that this fallen world is filled with injustice, it also offers hope. Christians are to be active in seeking justice and encouraging the oppressed within society (Isa. 1:17). But we need not despair at the imperfect justice of this world because God will bring final and perfect justice one day (Eccles. 3:17). For the oppressed and the victims of injustice this is indeed good news. It is not vanity to fear and follow God (8:10–13). To those in the global church who suffer under persecution for the sake of the gospel there is the comfort that God does indeed see them, take care of them, and remember them.

A sovereign Lord. There is one who is in control. God is in control when times are good and when times are bad (Eccles. 7:14). We are not in control—which is a great blessing, despite the ways in which we often seek to control our lives. Our message to the world is to abandon striving after control and to embrace the one who is in control. Every building and work of art will one day turn to dust, but there is one who is eternal and whose works last forever (3:14). Our message to the world is to abandon the quest for self-glory and the accumulation of possessions and to embrace the blessed and wise God-centered life of sober hope.

This is the glorious Christian vision for life that the church must embrace and display for the world to see.

Ecclesiastes Fact #1: Ecclesiastes

Fact: Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes encourages God’s people to trust him in a fallen and often confusing world, in which sin and heartache touch every corner of the globe. We are to “fear God and keep his commandments” (12:13), even when we cannot understand everything that is going on around us.

Ecclesiastes Fact #2: Vanity, vanities, and vain

Fact: Vanity, vanities, and vain

The words vanity, vanities, and vain occur nearly 40 times in Ecclesiastes. Their literal meaning is “vapor” or “breath,” so they are used to describe things that can be fleeting or elusive, like the search for meaning and purpose in life.

Ecclesiastes Fact #5: “Eat, drink, and be merry”?

Fact: “Eat, drink, and be merry”?

“Eat, drink, and be merry”? Ecclesiastes advises those who serve God to enjoy his gifts of food, drink, comfort, married life, and honest work (9:7–9; compare 2:24–26; 3:13; 5:19–20).

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

Romans 3 OT Reference
Sinful Condition
v. 10, none is righteous Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20
v. 11a, no one understands Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 11b, no one seeks for God Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one Ps. 14:3/53:3
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips)
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9)
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips Ps. 140:3
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness Ps. 10:7
Sinful Action
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery Isa. 59:7
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known Isa. 59:8
Summary Statement
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes Ps. 36:1
Study Notes

Eccles. 7:1 The verses that follow indicate that the day of death refers not to one’s own passing but rather to experiencing the death of another. Bereavement often increases spiritual wisdom more than the joy one feels over a newborn child.

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:7 Oppression refers here to blackmail.

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:11–12 Wisdom is similar to money in that both provide real protection against the misfortunes of life. Wisdom, however, preserves the life of him who has it.

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:15 Righteous and righteousness can refer to being “right” or “just” in one’s cause. The Preacher has observed instances in which a person who was technically in the right still lost his case.

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:16–18 Be not overly righteous. One should not always insist on being proved right in an argument. On the other hand, be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. That is, one should also know when to stand firm for a just cause.

Study Notes
See chart See chart
OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

Romans 3 OT Reference
Sinful Condition
v. 10, none is righteous Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20
v. 11a, no one understands Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 11b, no one seeks for God Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one Ps. 14:3/53:3
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips)
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9)
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips Ps. 140:3
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness Ps. 10:7
Sinful Action
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery Isa. 59:7
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known Isa. 59:8
Summary Statement
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes Ps. 36:1
Study Notes

Eccles. 5:8–7:24 Life “Under the Sun.” The Preacher observes the hardships of life in a fallen world.

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:27 “Find” is a key word in vv. 25–29. It means “figure out” or “comprehend.”

Study Notes

Eccles. 7:25–29 The Heart of the Problem: Sin. The Preacher has made numerous references to human sinfulness. This short section helps to explain how this sorry condition came about.

Eccles. 7:28–29 One man . . . I found, but a woman . . . I have not found. The Preacher is unable to “figure out” human beings. His one firm conclusion is that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes, that is, humans were not content to remain in their state of righteousness but instead rebelled against God (see Genesis 3).

S3:035 Ecclesiastes 7

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Ecclesiastes 7

"Coffins preach better than cribs." So says David Gibson in his book Living Life Backwards, which unpacks Solomon's wisdom from Ecclesiastes 7. 

What is Solomon communicating here? Ecclesiastes 7:1 tells us that the day of death is better than the day of birth. Wait, what? Like much of Solomon's wisdom, it seems counterintuitive. Read on. Ecclesiastes 7:2 informs us that it is better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting. More countercultural wisdom—funerals aren't fun! But do we learn more about things that really matter at a party or at a funeral? Ecclesiastes 7:3 shows that sorrow is better than laughter because being sad is good for the heart. Finally, Ecclesiastes 7:4 says that the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning versus the fool in the house of pleasure.  

So what is Solomon trying to tell us? Sitting at a funeral in the sobering sadness of a life coming to an end makes us stop to think about death. In doing so, we ask how we're tracking with whom we want to be, we dream about what a Kingdom-minded life looks like, we plan for how to prioritize the right things in our life, and we pray for the Lord's help to not get distracted by the world. We all want to live a life worthy of His calling and to someday hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21, 23). But it won't happen without intentionality.

While I appreciate a good party, I've also learned more at funerals than during celebrations or weddings. One speaks to the hope of what could be, whereas the other speaks to the reality of what has been. Attending a funeral should provide urgency around mortality—mortality outward, being urgent to share the gospel with others, and mortality inward, remembering that someday the funeral will be mine. Before I come face-to-face with my Maker, I'd be wise to ponder what will be true about my life. Live life backwards!

This month's memory verse

Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

– Exodus 34:6b

Discussion Questions

1. If you knew you were going to die in 12 months, would you live your life any differently? Why not start living that way now?

2. How wide is the gap between how you want to be remembered after death and what will actually be said about you?

3. What is your main life ambition, and how does thinking about death affect it?

4. How can you balance the "fun" parties with the "hard" moments of life to spend time in personal reflection? What is God trying to teach you in times of sorrow that will help you finish life better?

5. What role can biblical community play in helping you to live your life backwards?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

HS

Hugh Stephenson

These verses have my attention today- 13 Consider the work of God:
 who can make straight what he has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is a thought-provoking question- Q1-Is it easier to evangelize Arab Muslims in the Middle East or Cultural Christians in the US? When I think about that question another one comes up- Q2-In MBA school, what was the single most valuable subject I was taught? Lots of possibilities- analysis of financial statements, business strategy and tactics, marketing, data analytics, human capital management and many others. Q3- In terms of lessons learned, what was the most important practical learning? Here are my answers in reverse order- A3- The most important practical lesson learned was that the person who talks the most in a group is usually going to be the person who will be in charge of the group. I saw this firsthand in a jury duty call up. In the jury room I said as little as I could possibly say. A guy about my age was elected jury foreman. I was elated. The same thing has happened in business, social, and church settings. A2 - The single most valuable subject I was taught was Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Here’s the link - https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html VERY short explanation: After you’ve got food, clothing, and shelter the natural intensity for “meaning life” questions moves up to safety and security; then to love and belonging; then to self-esteem; then to “self-actualization". Read the info at the link and you’ll see what I mean. A1 -Its way, way easier to evangelize Arab Muslims than cultural Christians. No contest. The question is why? I suppose there are many answers. Here’s mine. We have many friends who have been called to serve in missions there. What they point out is that the spiritual hunger is seemingly insatiable. What I’m told is that because there are a long set or rules, rubrics, and rituals that the works-based nature of the practice brings the people to exhaustion. Often, at that point the “white sugar” effect kicks in; meaning that they can get to a sugar high on works…but its half-life is pretty short. Importantly, they consider Jesus the 2nd most important prophet after Mohamed. Also, they have high regard for the Bible, although way less than for the Koran. Here’s where the roof gets blown off- When you can explain to them that the path to God directly is through Jesus…and THEN that its by grace through faith and not by works…that’s the game changer. Taking license, I see that as catapulting them from near the bottom of the pyramid to the top where they get nearly instant self-actualization; presumably via the Holy Spirit. There are many, many books and many, many stories.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Probably, your question is why doesn’t it work with cultural Christians in the US? I’m sure there are many answers. Here’s mine: Not only do we have food, clothing, and shelter but we have easy access to the rest of the pyramid as we move up? All you have to do is find a group that “affirms” you. I think this is because at a certain level you don’t need “transformation” if you have enough “affirmation”. HOWEVER…like the Arab Muslims, you’re still trying to address a spiritual need in a material way. And there you are…right back to white sugar. How do I know this? What I described to you is how I lived the first 55 years of my life. For many of us we eventually run out of “white sugar”. The suffering verses are what I first wrestled with when I came to my Luke 15:16 end- James 1:2-4 1 Peter 5:10 Romans 5:3-5 And the real brick to the face— Isaiah 30:20-21. Eventually I got to the Malachi 3:3-4 moment- “3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.”
HS

Hugh Stephenson

The notes offer this- 7:7-10 Both adversity and prosperity tempt people to abandon a wise lifestyle for one of folly. The wise man's prosperity might tempt him to accept a bribe, or his adversity might tempt him to oppress others (v. 7; cf. Prov. 30:8-9). 7:13-14 We cannot understand why God uses adversity and prosperity as He does. A man or woman of faith trusts God, nonetheless. Therefore, we should enjoy the times of prosperity, and remember in the times of adversity that God is in control (Rom. 8:28). "God balances our lives by giving us enough blessings to keep us happy and enough burdens to keep us humble."[173] 7:19 "Wisdom is not the knowledge of accumulated facts but the inner strength that comes from a God-instructed conscience."[180] I love this one- "It has been said that 'the good old days' are the combination of a bad memory and a good imagination, and often this is true."[171] Here is Constable’s conclusion- Who is responsible for the universal failure to please God? Solomon said people are, not God (v. 29). God made us upright in the sense of being able to choose to please or not please God. Nevertheless, we have all gone our own way in pursuit of "many schemes." The same Hebrew word translated "schemes" in verse 29 reads "explanation" in verses 25 and 27. The point is not that people have turned aside to sin, but that they have sought out many explanations. They have sought many explanations of what? In the context, Solomon was talking about God's plan. Failing to fully understand God's scheme of things, people have turned aside to their own explanations of these things.
MS

Michael Scaman

The studens await the teacher but another subsitutes comes to Lit class today and it is Jordan Peterson to talk and his subject is Ecclesistes 5. Class, we confront a fundamental issue encapsulated in two points: Wisdom holds immense value, yet as humans, we grapple with inherent limitations in achieving it. This is seen in what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 5. In a world obsessed with instant gratification, remember that true fulfillment comes from the disciplined pursuit of wisdom and virtue, not from fleeting pleasures or material possessions. Contemplating our mortality isn't morbid; it's a sobering reminder of life's finite nature, urging us to seize each moment with purpose and gratitude, rather than squandering it on trivial pursuits. Beware the dangers of ideological extremism, whether it's self-righteousness or nihilism. Strive for balance, humility, and the willingness to engage with diverse perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding. Wisdom isn't merely intellectual prowess; it's the capacity to integrate knowledge, experience, and moral principles, guiding us towards thoughtful decisions and meaningful actions, even in the face of uncertainty. Acknowledging our fallibility humbles us, yet it also empowers you to "clean your room," , to take responsibility for our lives, to seek truth, meaning, and purpose amidst life's chaos, striving to leave a positive impact on the world. Bell rings. Class dismissed. One student named Mary looks at the other students and says There's more. He's smart but limited. Corinthians says 'Jesus has become for us wisdom' She smiled and the class filed out the room.
GJ

greg jones

“Like much of Solomon's wisdom, it seems counterintuitive.” That resonated with me this morning. It can be seen when reading the book of Esther in the background of the last few chapters. So glad to see that appreciated by someone else too.
SB

Sue Bohlin

Excellent devo, Craig! That perspective shift is so very important. I will turn 71 next week (I truly don't know how that happened so fast), and I become increasingly aware I have fewer and fewer days left. So I really appreciated your Q1 about how we'd live if we knew we only had 12 months left. :::shudder::: The last verse in the chapter resonated with me: "See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes." I am reminded of a powerful illustration; the speaker stood upright, arms stretched straight up and face to the ceiling. "God made man upright. In right relation to Him, seeking Him, reaching out for Him. But then . . ." She bent at the waist, her body now in a 90-degree angle, arms stretched out parallel to the floor. ". . . Sin entered the world. Instead of being oriented toward our Creator and reaching for Him in right relation to Him, we now reach out for the creation." Then she bent over double, forehead to her knees, her fingers almost touching the floor. "When the sin and depravity grows even more, there can be unspeakable perversion that is the opposite of what God designed and intended for us." (Since this was a conference on sexuality, you can imagine the context for depraved perversion she was including.) Solomon sure got it right.
KH

Kathy Hempel Cox

Great devo-thank you!
WM

Wray Miller

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. I clung to this verse when I had brain surgery in 2004. Be grateful for the good God has given you and ask Him what He wants you to learn during the bad times. Realize that He is in control all the time and He loves you.
AL

Amy Lowther

1. I would live the same as I do now. I would also ensure everyone and everything would be good and cared for without me. 2. Life is life. People will do as they please. I believe in God and Jesus, and I hope others do too. 3. One ambition of mine is to make a positive difference in daily life. Thinking about death doesn’t affect my ambitions in life. 4. “Allowing” time, “scheduling” time, and “making” time for fun parties, hard times, and personal reflection are necessary steps in finding the balance between them. 5. Biblical Community can help me reflect on what has occurred in life and what is going to occur in life. Craig -Thank you for sharing your ideas. Thank you fort being honest in saying , “Before I come face-to-face with my Maker, I'd be wise to ponder what will be true about my life”. If we each do a little bit everyday as God would prefer, we will each have great meetings with the Maker when they occur.