Wisdom of Ecclesiastes, Part I

I had some extra time this morning, since I had built up quite a few extra work hours this week. (Caveat: if you work in the Atlanta area, a 7:30 commute is a world of negative difference from a 6:30 commute). In reading from Ecclesiastes, I was reminded of how much wisdom is present in that book. Of course, the whole Bible is full of wisdom, but Ecclesiastes seems to ring more clearly for me. Here are some excerpts.

Ecclesiastes 2:11
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

This is said after Solomon says he undertook great projects in order to find what was meaningful in life. Goes to show that a man who had everything he could ever want still was not content after getting everything under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 5
2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Jesus echoes these words in Matthew 6.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.

Jesus echoes these words in Matthew 5. I actually had the opportunity to decline swearing an oath when we got our marriage license over Thanksgiving weekend. Instead, we "affirmed."

11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the own except to feast his eyes on them?

Supply side economics is no recent concept.

As I wish to keep posts to a digestible length, I have much more to comment on, but that will come a bit later.