Welcome to Day 2006 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly – Daily Wisdom
Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 2006 of our trek. We are transitioning in the structure of Wisdom-Trek to focus on the great wisdom books of the Bible.
One habit I have practiced nearly every day for the past 45+ years of my adult life is to read the chapter in the book of Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. This single habit has been the catalyst for gaining wisdom and creating a living legacy.
Adopting this habit can do the same for your life. So, beginning October 1st, I will start publishing the reading of the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Before that, I am reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon, who wrote both Ecclesiastics and Proverbs, was the wisest person to live. He wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life, after trying many other paths to wisdom, and then he was brought back to the realization that God’s Wisdom is the only true wisdom.
This realization is what drives me to seek out God’s wisdom each day. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today I will read Ecclesiastes 9, and I have titled this chapter:
Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly
Death Comes to All
1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2 The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.
3 It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. 4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”
5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!
9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
11 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and...