Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Worse than death

Eccles. 7:23-26
23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
  • Why is it harder to be wise than you want it to be?
    - Why is wisdom so hard to obtain?
    - What did Solomon do in his attempt to gain wisdom?
  • Why is considering folly, foolishness, and unreasonable behavior necessary to gain wisdom?
    - Why is knowledge, i.e. facts and explanations, useful in gaining wisdom?
    - What is the difference between wisdom and great knowledge?
  • How does the past serve as a storehouse for learning from past mistakes?
    - How well do you remember the motivations and internal drives that resulted in some foolishness of yours five years ago?
  • What is more bitter than death?
    - What sort of woman is Solomon describing?
    - Why is this sort of woman so dangerous?
  • In our more gender neutral society, could Solomon find a similar sort of man?
    - What sort of man might Solomon describe?
    - Why would this sort of man be so dangerous?
Harold's Musings:
I really do want to be wise. I want to know a lot of things, as well as how to use that knowledge effectively. I really want to know how things work. I truly understand how Solomon felt about it being far off and very deep. As soon as I learn one thing and move to another, things change with the first thing. Yet another wind to chase. On a different thread, I realize Solomon picked out a woman as the thing more bitter than death. With as many women as he had in his life, I suspect he had some experience here. I cannot help but believe in our time evil hearted, entrapping men are to be avoided as well. Ladies, what do you think? Have you seen such men in your lives?

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