We are halfway through Solomon’s journal. It seems that he is now going through his midlife crisis! He started out well, very well. He trusted his father David’s God and pledged his energies and commitment to enlarge his father’s kingdom—to build the fabulous Temple and bring international honor to the God of Israel. But the life of an oriental king, especially with his reputation for knowledge and pomp, sucked out the earlier commitments.

The first half of Ecclesiastes is a dirge summarized in chapter 2, verses 17, 18: "Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me" (NKJV).

Fortunate is the man or woman who has learned this lesson long before his or her last days. Not many ever do. But something happens in this seventh chapter—we see a word that is strangely absent. Wisdom now becomes the word of choice—thirty-five times in the last half of his journal. It may be that Solomon also turns to his biggest project, his book of Proverbs, summarizing the wisdom that he can now use as he reflects on what might have been and what should have been.

He changes his rhetorical style almost on a dime. He now uses his "Proverb" style, which includes comparative couplets. For example, "A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth" (7:1). Or, "Better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting." (7:2). And many more.

Note his contrasting couplets. For example, "The heart of the wise is in the house of morning. But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth" (7:4). Or, "He who pleases God shall escape from her [the woman whose heart is snares and nets] but the sinner shall be trapped by her" (7:26).

Many of these couplets are just plain common sense—such as a good name is better than a roomful of cologne. So many restaurants have a most alluring aroma, just like the sparkle of a well-dressed man or woman who speak well and have all the trappings of wealth and prestige. But it takes more than a swanky restaurant with the great aroma to guarantee a return visit. And many dazzling men and women are serving jail sentences.

In other words, a good name is built on reputations that can be trusted. Hanes clothing had a TV commercial a few years ago. A formidable female inspector stood over the assembly line saying, "The quality goes in before the name goes on." Solomon learned that through experience!

How could going to a funeral be better than a banquet? Takes a couple of seconds for us moderns who live life, turning the corners on two wheels. But when are we the most serious, most in touch with reality? I have never had a more sober, thoughtful audience than when I preach a funeral homily. Is Solomon in depression? Hardly! He is sharing a deep truth.

Think about "It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools." Some comparison! Sounds like we have it upside down in the twenty-first century! We are flooded with music these days whether it is FM or AM or the local boom box. Hard to even understand all the words but we get enough to figure out whether the singer and composer is wise or a fool, to put it all in Solomon’s perspective.

But seriously, how easy is it to listen to a rebuke, especially from a wise person? It may be a session with the boss who is going through the annual evaluation interview. It may be a grandfather, or an uncle, or a parent who slows us down for a few things we need to hear. Or a gifted teacher who sees a lot of good in a student but whom he or she must fail for lack of quality work. In other words, before it is too late, after some pain or brokenness, we are most fortunate to have friends who know how to rebuke us with wisdom.

Look briefly at verses 11–12: wisdom is a defense, a protection, a lifesaver. This kind of wisdom is rare in the young and surely a gift of dedicated Christian parents. Happy is the person who learns that wisdom is a defense against lusty friends and the smooth talk of a get-rich schemer. Sad is the person who learns all this too late. But never too late to profit and move ahead.

Wisdom is "good" when one gets an inheritance because it defends one from pride and silliness. Wisdom is "defense" as much as money is in a bank account. Wisdom is aware of the rainy day that lays ahead for most anybody. Probably even more of a defense than saved-up money.

Only godly wisdom sees the big picture. Wisdom has learned to trust his Maker, through sunshine or shadow. Only wisdom teaches us to "lean not on your own understanding," but "to trust in the Lord with all your heart" (Prov. 5:5).

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