wisdom – Page 2 – Be Still…

Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:4 – How to Be Wise

Read Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:4

What do you make of the story Solomon uses here? I don’t know about you, but there are times in my life when I have felt invisible and unappreciated. Solomon doesn’t tell us anything about how the poor man felt about being overlooked. However, the people of that town surely benefitted from his wisdom which rescued them.

We should appreciate wisdom, no matter where it comes from. Why then, does the world pay more attention to the display of wealth, power, and success and not the wisdom behind it? Wouldn’t it make more sense to look at why the person achieved such greatness? Unless the successful person is simply lucky, there is something they did to attain their position.

Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:1 – Limits on Wisdom

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What an interesting passage coming from one of the wisest men ever. Solomon’s wisdom was a gift from God, yet there were limitations. Today we can tap into God’s wisdom when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. God is the source of all wisdom, for which there is no limit. We should be grateful for the wisdom God allows be revealed to us.

Solomon continues to struggle with his wisdom. Sometimes when we let our minds wander, we can end up in some unusual places. It seems that is what is happening to Solomon through this whole book. We have all seen things that don’t make sense or seem fair in this world. How do you handle those situations?

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 – This is Not Proverbs

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Solomon gives us “proverb-like” nuggets of wisdom here. However, I have to say that some of his tips don’t seem that wise to me. Keeping the perspective of when he was writing these thoughts down is helpful to me. Solomon had been exposed to countless false teachings from his many pagan wives. Plus, he didn’t have the promise of salvation we know in Jesus.

When we put our “redemption lens” on this passage, it’s easy for us to clear up some of Solomon’s concerns. I’d rather focus today on several of the observations Solomon got right. Having discussions on each of these points would be fun in a small group, don’t you think?

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 – Approaching God

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The language barrier I have with the Mexican girls at the orphanage is sometimes laughable. But one day when I was about on my last nerve because the girls were overly restless and distracted during Bible class, I asked them to imagine Jesus had just entered the room to watch our class. How would they behave then? It was amazing to watch them sit up straight, be quiet, and all the while look around to see if Jesus was actually there.

They approached Jesus, even the thought of him, with respect. It was a delight for me to see. There is no language gap when it comes to loving Jesus and seeking to please him. Solomon now tells us that how we approach God matters.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 – Community

Read Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

“It takes a village.” If you haven’t heard that phrase before, it’s another way of acknowledging the communities of support we have in our lives. It’s especially helpful when it kicks in for parents of young children. We never have enough hands or time for carpooling when you can’t be in two places at once!

Solomon is also troubled by those who don’t have a community around them. He questions how they can muster up the motivation to work if they don’t have a community to support. Everyone will have a different motivation for working, it’s not always a race to have great wealth. I suppose that’s easy for me to say as a missionary and pastor’s wife. Wealth is certainly not my motivation.