Ancient Wisdom Ancient Wisdom for Modern Lifefor Modern Life

Wisdom About Life’s Painful Wisdom About Life’s Painful ExperiencesExperiences

Ecclesiastes

We live in a world of pain.We live in a world of pain.

A good name is better than a A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. (Ecclesiastes day of one’s birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1)7:1)

Painful experiences can teach Painful experiences can teach us valuable life lessons that will us valuable life lessons that will make us better.make us better.

It is better to go to a house of It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4)of pleasure. (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4)

It is better to listen to the rebuke of a It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:5)song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:5)

Painful experiences can make Painful experiences can make us vulnerable to attitudes that us vulnerable to attitudes that will make us bitter!will make us bitter!

Dangers lurking!Dangers lurking! For oppression makes a wise man For oppression makes a wise man

mad, and a bribe corrupts the heart.mad, and a bribe corrupts the heart. The end of a matter is better than its The end of a matter is better than its

beginning; patience of spirit is better beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. than haughtiness of spirit.

Do not be eager in your heart to be Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools. of fools.

Do not say, “Why is it that the former Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” for it is days were better than these?” for it is not from wisdom that you ask about not from wisdom that you ask about this. (Ecclesiastes 7:7-10)this. (Ecclesiastes 7:7-10)

Righteous living is always Righteous living is always important no matter what life important no matter what life may bring!may bring!

Wisdom along with an Wisdom along with an inheritance is good and an inheritance is good and an advantage to those who see the advantage to those who see the sun. For wisdom is protection sun. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection. But just as money is protection. But the advantage of knowledge is the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors. (Ecclesiastes of its possessors. (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12)7:11-12)

Consider the work of God, for Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider— God day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the has made the one as well as the other so that man may not other so that man may not discover anything that will be discover anything that will be after him. (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)after him. (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)

Through this series of proverbs Through this series of proverbs Solomon has shown us the uncertainty Solomon has shown us the uncertainty of life. He has shown us that we may of life. He has shown us that we may experience both good and bad. But in experience both good and bad. But in the end, the only thing that ultimately the end, the only thing that ultimately matters is whether or not we have matters is whether or not we have

respected God and submitted to Him.respected God and submitted to Him.