SCRIPTURE: ECCLESIASTES 7
MEMEORY VERSES:
“A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.” (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; and the living should take this to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 8:2)
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 7:4)
“It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:5)
“Extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:7)
“There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21)
WISDOM (vs. 1-29)
The destiny of every man is death. So, it is better to comfort a person in sorrow than to feast with people in laughter. Wise men know to be in the house of mourning and fools are in the house of pleasure.
Rebuke of a wise man is better than the song of fools. Extortion and bribery turn a wise man into fool. Better to be patient than proud.
God gives us both prosperity and adversity. So, learn to profit from pleasure and pain. Triumphs will make us proud but trials will keep us close to God.
THOUGHTS:
We are to enjoy life while we can but sometimes adversity will strike us. Adversity reminds us that life is short. It is refining our character to be humble and to learn more about God. Remember that God is in control and will bring good results out of tough times.
Many people refuse to face death and are reluctant to attend funerals. Solomon wanted us to think clearly about death. It reminds us that our life span is short and we need time to change and examine the direction of our life. We should plan ahead for our eternity by accepting Jesus as our Savior, seeking forgiveness of our sins before it is too late for us to do it.
Bribes can alter truth which results in injustice. People who involve in extortion and bribery are fools because a truly wise man cannot be bought at any price.
It is really very difficult for us to act and think wisely because there are many mysteries in life that we will never understand. That is why we should seek wisdom from God.
Solomon advised us not to pay attention to every word people say. If you are quick to react and retaliate, this will keep the fire burning without peace and joy. Instead, follow Charles Spurgeon advice: “You cannot stop people’s tongue and therefore the best way to do is to stop your own ear and never mind what is spoken.”