THE CONTRAST OF WISDOM AND FOLLY (Part #1) - "A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. 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. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. 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. Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? 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" (Ecclesiastes 7:1-14).

At times in our lives, we need nuggets of truth reserved for specific moments. The increasing speed with which we live places a premium on ensuring we grasp wisdom as quickly as possible, otherwise we miss out on absolute truth we need to survive.

The imagery Paul describes in his dissertation on the armor of God in Ephesians 6 provides insight on the importance of God's Word and why nuggets of truth (such as written by Solomon) are vital to our sanctification. Therefore, it is important we understand each point Solomon makes in order to glean a harvest of righteousness that fuels our Christian faith walk.

Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes 7 in the same fashion as the book of Proverbs. Each verse has a specific purpose with the intent to convict, admonish, and sanctify the heart, regardless of whether it seems logical at first glance. Therefore, if we are to understand Ecclesiastes 7 we must examine each verse both individually and collectively.

First, we must understand that our character speaks volumes, just as a good name is far more valuable than precious ointment. It defines who we are as men and women of faith. Even the poorest man can be identified with high character because character is not confined by material wealth or social status.

Rather, it is the legitimacy with which we live for Christ that proves whether we are shallow in faith or composed of substantive integrity. In other words, what we say and do must be genuine, honest and reliable. Jesus put it this way, "Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:37).

Similarly, James reminds us, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14-17).

Let us be clear: The legitimacy of our faith is proven by our words and actions through frequent consistency as the measuring tool which testifies to whether our faith is authentic. We cannot say we believe in the transforming power of the Gospel and not apply it in our thoughts, words and deeds. It would be hypocritical to live as such otherwise!

Solomon also points out that our spiritual posture must resemble a funeral rather than a celebration. Why? When we reflect upon Jesus' sermon on the mount, we hear similar language.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:3-4).

What Jesus emphasizes is that we must look in the mirror and honestly assess who we are as sinful men and women. Is our identity found in Christ or in our flesh? Consider the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector as proof.

"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:9-14).

When we think more highly of ourselves than we ought, we lose touch with reality. We forget that we are habitual sinners. We minimize sin in lieu of relative truth which is ever-changing and shifting.

Consequently, that is why we are to adorn ourselves in ashes and sack-cloth as those in mourning, for we who mourn over our sin will be blessed because we recognize and understand how often we fail God and how gracious and merciful He is to forgive us unconditionally when we humbly repent of our wicked ways.

"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing" (James 1:23-25).

Accountability is our method of overcoming the temptation to live foolishly. Accountability forces us to weigh our decisions and sift foolish thinking till all we are left with is wisdom. That is the essence of being a doer and not a hearer of the Word. When we are rebuked in our faith walk and shown the path of righteousness, we are thankful for the accountability God has provided regardless of the consequences.

A man or woman whose heart is teachable can embrace reality that God will use whatever means necessary to get our attention, convict our selfish behavior, and draw us unto himself. For we must ask ourselves, "What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory" (Romans 9:22-23). The Lord pursues us because He loves us; not because we deserve it, but because He loves us far more than we will ever comprehend.

Patience is yet another theme Solomon addresses, both in terms of time and behavior. If we reflect upon what patience is designed to do, we understand more clearly why the end of a thing is better than its beginning. Patience would be akin to hopeful trust, leaving room for the Spirit to work in and through a given situation. In other words, patience is a healthy means to an end that guards our hearts from being consumed by fear, worry and doubt.

For example, we cannot predict the future whether a loved one will repent and come to Christ; or perhaps if medical treatments/therapy will cure a life-threatening disease; or if seasons of unemployment or job uncertainty will come to fruition; or if continual miscarriages will result in pregnancy, etc. What we can be certain of is in whom we place our hope, which allows us to look back with perspective at how God has always been at work in our lives despite us realizing it.

As Christians, we do not have to patiently wait for God to hear our cries for grace and mercy. He already has because we have been provided a foundation of faith where hope resides in the decisions we face each day. That is why the apostle Paul encouraged his brethren, "For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" (Romans 8:24-25).

We endure trial and suffering with patient expectation that the Lord will meet our needs because His Word promises such. Whether we realize He already has is another issue in and of itself, but we can rest confidently in truth that our patience and hope in the saving power of Jesus Christ is worthy to be trusted.

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:31-33).

In the end, whether we face seasons of harvest or famine, prosperity or adversity, the Lord calls upon us to trust His sovereignty. Knowledge of who God is in the pages of Scripture teaches us this truth, but wisdom applies it to the heart so that we live out what we believe.

That is why we cannot continue to starve ourselves day in and day out from being washed by the water of the Word. For when we read our Bibles we understand more clearly that God's hand is never without mission and purpose, and that He intimately knows every thought and fabric of who we are.

"O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it" (Psalm 139:1-6).

If we're being truly honest with ourselves though, does this truth make a difference in our hearts regardless of where we are in our personal faith walk? Do we see how knowledge, wisdom, character, perspective, patience, accountability, etc., all derive their origins from our spiritual identity (whether in Christ or in the world)? Can we trace back throughout our lives and see how God's hand has infinitely touched our lives without us ever knowing it?

If we can't, perhaps our pride is holding us back which we need to reconcile immediately. But if we can, let us walk confidently in the love of our Savior knowing that come what may, we will live out our faith publicly and share the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ with lost souls desperate for salvation. 

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).