The endgame of wisdom is the understanding of all things, and the courage to act upon it.
Three books in the Bible are dedicated to this pursuit, but, in the case of the book of Ecclesiastes, this journey begins with painful, honest questions about life.
Here’s an example, from the first chapter:
“I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.”
Instead of beginning with things like “everything’s going to be OK,” or pictures of a winged angel snuggling kittens, the author begins his wisdom prospectus with brutal honesty, unafraid to look at the brokenness of this world, free to air the frustrations we all have.
Wisdom begins with honesty, and honesty requires courage. This book has it in spades, and is a must read for anyone desiring to understand more about the world we live in, believer or not.
The following video is from the “The Bible Project,” a group of scholars dedicated to providing an unabashed look at the scriptures, offering a perspective that’s much needed in our culture.
Take a look, you won’t regret it!
If you missed “Wisdom Part I,” here’s a link.
