Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. I'm Darrell Bailey. As we continue on in our wisdom for life's journey, devotions from the book of Ecclesiastes. I'm glad that this book gets into life's biggest questions. What's the meaning of life? How can we find contentment in uncertain times? How do we navigate a world full of both beauty and brokenness? This devotion series unpacks all of the timeless wisdom guiding us toward God's purpose for our lives. And I'm glad, if you would, turn over to Ecclesiastes chapter 7 as we look at the way to handle the limitations of life. and to live wisely day by day. I'm glad that here, as we look in Ecclesiastes chapter seven, amen, we'll be looking at how that we're able. You know, Solomon, he begins this chapter by evaluating six of life's everyday experiences in, He tells us what is better, more profitable to our lives in these areas. And in many aspects, life can be reduced to an unending series of choices. Every day, we make literally hundreds, even thousands of decisions, and the majority of life's decisions are not necessarily choices between right and wrong or good and bad. Rather, they're choices between what is good and what is best. A life of excellence is characterized by choosing what is best, whereas a life of mediocrity is characterized by choosing the good over the best. You know, Solomon was attempting to help us see what is best. He was writing to help us recognize that in many of life's situations, the less desirable option is actually the better one. Some of Solomon's conclusions in these verses are unconventional, perhaps even bizarre when compared with people's traditional way of thinking. But we must remember this, true wisdom, God's wisdom, often runs contrary to the logical accepted ideas of people. And so even though Solomon made several questionable statements, we must keep in mind that he was telling us what is best and most profitable for us in our journey of life. And so, We see that Solomon was counseling us to choose the best over the good. Let's open up with prayer. Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that none of us are righteous apart from you and we come before you in humility, confessing our sins and seeking your forgiveness. Thank you for the righteousness of Christ who took our place and offers us redemption. Lord, may we open our hearts and minds to your word today, that we may turn to you in repentance and trust fully in your grace. In Jesus's marvelous mighty name, amen. Amen. You know, have you ever felt the sting of injustice? Maybe you've seen someone undeserved of praise or receive accolades or witnessed the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer. Well, even children sense the unfairness of life as seen in the innocent assumption that long life equals righteousness. And so each and every one of us, as we look into the wonderful word of God, We're reminded, amen, of how powerful the Lord can be. Because one of the things that we see in Ecclesiastes chapter 7, verses 1 through 29, is the way to handle the limitations of life, to live wisely day by day. And one of the very first things I see is that we need to embrace the valuable lessons of life. Because in verse one, The Bible says a good name is better than precious ointment and the day of death than the day of one's birth. Dying with a good name is better than being born into prosperity. You see, Solomon, he gave us two parallel statements. In the first statement, the author stressed the value of a good name compared to the value of riches and prosperity. What did he mean by a good name? A person's name represents the individual's reputation standing in the minds and the eyes of others and this is based upon the strength of character that he or she has displayed in their daily life and routine. It is who a person is on the inside. You know, precious ointment of fine perfume was a luxury usually reserved for those who had an abundance of financial resources, and possession of costly oils was a symbol of wealth and material prosperity. The average person seldom had the money to go and buy those unessential things to daily needs. Do you remember when Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus with her fine perfume in John chapter 12, verses one through eight? The sacrifice she poured out upon Jesus was valued at a year's wages. Many offered what was most likely her greatest financial asset to the Lord as a symbol of his worth and her devotion. But again, the value of her fine fragrance was equivalent to an entire year's earnings for an average laborer of that time. Well, Solomon's lesson is simply this. If a person must choose between a good name and a lifestyle of extravagance afforded only to the wealthy, choose the good name. It is of a greater value. Solomon's second statement is that at first the most perplexing because the day of a person's death is better than the day of a person's birth. Or put it another way, the day a person's life ends here on earth is better than the day that it begins. Because this sounds irrational, but if you meditate on the statement for just a minute, you can conclude that the Christian believer, death is indeed a promotion. Because for the believer, the day of one's death is a friend and not a foe. It's the occasion for celebration. The believer leaves this world, moves directly into the presence of God. And according to 2 Corinthians 5a, the believer's toil and labor and trials and tribulations and pain and suffering are all behind and not ahead. And the believer moves to a land of perfection, a place where no pain or suffering exists according to Revelation chapter 14 verse 13 and Revelation chapter 21 verse 4. So the believer is set free from the earthly body, the old nature, that is so prone to sin, and the believer's faith becomes sight, that is, what was once believed but not seen is now gloriously experienced. And I'm glad that we're told that in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7. But there's a warning. What is true for the believer in many cases is not true for the unbeliever. Here in Ecclesiastes chapter 7 is one of those times, especially verses 1 and 2 and verse 4. And I'm glad that verse 2 says, it's better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart. Verse 3, sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better. And then verse 4, the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of myrrh. And so we see that we can embrace the valuable lessons of life. Let me go on down to verse eight. It's better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. Verse six, for as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity. Verse seven, surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and a gift destroyeth the heart. And verse eight, better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and the patience spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Now that's the reading of eight verses. And unbelievers who do not trust Christ as their savior do not have the hope and the promise of eternal life. In many of their minds, this life is all there is, and therefore, this life is all that matters. Gaining wealth, living lavishly as possible, to them normal and even unexpected, their reputation at death does not hold the same significance as it does for believers. Some people, the more they make, the more they wanna make. And you know, the frail to realize that after death there's judgment, that we're all gonna stand before God and give a reason. And the reason, an account of our lives, and then spend an eternity in hell. They'll be separated from God and from any family and friends who followed the Lord and tried to lead them to Christ. For all unbelievers, death will be a manifold times worse than birth, and their lives on earth, no matter how good or how bad, will be a distant memory and the face of everlasting doom. Now, when we look back at verse 1, when one of the two statements stands on its own, two valuable insights are gained. You see, the key to understanding the overriding truth is to consider the statements together. That the second half of verse 1 is not intended as a standalone statement. It's developed. Because that first half of the verse, thus what Solomon was saying is this, dying with a good name is better than being born into a life of wealth and prosperity. Throughout our lives, by our daily decisions, words and actions, we're building a name, a character, a reputation that will survive after we're gone. But it's more important to leave behind a good name than to go through all of life with the abundance of this world's wealth. Solomon emphasized the same. priority in the book of Proverbs. Because in Proverbs 22, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favor rather than silver and gold. And so, You know what? Every one of us, many people will sacrifice their good name and their character and their reputation and their testimony for worldly success, possessions, or pleasures. But as believers who are called to be a light to the world, our good name is to be treasured far more than these things. Our testimony and name are a reflection upon the holy name of our Holy Father, our Lord, Savior, Jesus Christ, whose name we all bear. And so, the first step toward living wisely is choosing a good name over the things of this world. And so, we embrace the valuable lessons of life, amen, is what we're saying that every one of us should do, amen. And so, we see that As we go forward, Solomon was not condemning wealth or saying that it was wrong. God had placed riches in this world to enjoy, not to despise, but keep in mind that Solomon was making a comparison. He was telling all of us what was better between the two items. A good name is better than riches, and the same holds true for Solomon's statement about death and birth. The king was not saying that birth was not an occasion to celebrate, nor that life was not a precious gift from God. He was saying that death for the believer is better than birth. And so, I'm glad in verse 2, going to a funeral is better than going to a festival. And I'm glad that in light of all of this, Solomon makes a statement. that he says that to believe a funeral is better than a festive occasion, here he writes and explains that attending a funeral is better than attending a feast because death is every person's destiny. And so, every single one of us is going to die, according to Hebrews 9, verse 27. Funerals remind us of this brutal fact. We cannot escape death. And the fate of a mourned friend or a loved one is our fate as well. When we sit through a funeral, we are faced with this inevitable fact. In reality, most of us spend our days without giving a thought to the subject of death. Most of us never consider that death may well be our door before the sun has set. But when we attend a funeral, we cannot help but remember the unavoidable appointment that we have with death itself. One day, we too shall die. One day, people will gather for us just as we gathered for our departed acquaintances, our friends, our loved ones. And it's good for us to remember this. at a funeral forces this fact upon us in a way that nothing else quite does. Attending a funeral is better than attending a feast because death is a matter to be taken seriously. And so, The wise person will listen with his heart at a funeral and take stock of his life. Ask any person who has affiliated at funerals such as I have, and they will tell you that many people there reflected on their own mortality. And the occasion makes the reality of death come to the forefront. Though some people may deny that there is something awaiting them after death, they cannot deny what God has placed in their hearts, a consciousness, occasional thoughts, that there is some kind of life after death. And remember, God has set eternity in the human heart. First comes death, then eternity. Funerals remind us of this. And so, the Hebrew writer says, as is appointed unto men, once to die, but after this, the judgment. And I'm glad that as before, the king was not saying to avoid legitimate causes for celebrating. God has given us much to rejoice over. Solomon was cautioned against being focused on partying and having a good time and neglecting the fate of our souls. If we do not take time to consider where we're gonna spend eternity, death will catch us unaware. And then it'll be too late. the soberness of a funeral, the ideal place to meet with God, to confess our sins and to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord. That's why I always like to give an opportunity to do something like that. And so in verses three and four, it talks about how that sorrow is better than laughter. A person can feel sorrow or sadness or any number of reasons, but the emotions that are involved all depend on the cause for the individual's disheartness. Solomon's claim that sorrow is better than laughter seems absurd when we think about it at first, but just as with the last point, he offers some clarification. It's important to keep in mind, though, that it was Solomon who first said that laughter is beneficial to us like a good medicine. And so Solomon was not against laughing or having a good time. He was not against enjoying parties or celebrations. In fact, he had already acknowledged that it is God who appoints tears and laughter and mourning. and dancing to our lives. Because what did he say back in chapter three of verse four? A time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Solomon wants us to understand sorrow brings benefits to our lives that laughter cannot. And some lessons are learned only through suffering. Lessons of everlasting significance. And so we see in verse three that sorrow refines the soul as tears wash the dirt and pollution from our eyes. So sorrow can cleanse the impurities from our soul. Sorrow causes us to release pent up emotions and draw closer to others. In other words, sorrow stirs us to take a deeper look inside ourselves. And laughter, on the other hand, primarily affects our outward earthly dispositions. And so, a wise person thinks about death and borns, but a fool thinks only of the pleasure of the here and now, in verse four. Fools are more inclined to block out the serious contemplation of difficult and painful things. They cannot bear the deal with crisis, denying the sorrow of troubling circumstances. Fools turn to alternatives to numb them from the pain. The wise person takes sorrow to heart. And he or she does not deny or repel it with forced, fabricated things. The individual allows the truth of the situation to sink in, no matter how distressing that it might be. And since Jesus, the sonless son of God, remained perfect through all the suffering that he did on our behalf, we who are sinners can learn some very valuable lessons from his experience, amen. And so, in verses five through seven, We read about a wise rebuke is better than the song and laughter of fools. Pleasure and partying is what he's talking about. And so each and every one of us, when we look and we realize that what he's talking about as we embrace the valuable lessons of life, no one likes to be corrected. No one enjoys being scolded. No one relinquishes hearing criticism. But quite the opposite is true because people prefer flattering. People prefer compliments. They don't want no fault-finding criticism. They would much rather hear someone praise them. And Solomon wants us to recognize that we gain far, far more from wise criticism than from foolish flattering. And so, living wisely as we are anticipating correction, accepting it, appreciating, applying that correction, wise people not only accept constructive criticism, they invite it and they humbly welcome it. Solomon was not saying that we do not need affirmation and encouragement, nor that we should never accept or enjoy compliments. He was telling us that wise rebuke benefits us more. And so Proverbs chapter 25 verses 11 and 12 says, a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and pitchers of silver. As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. When constructive criticism is openly and properly given at the right time, in the right spirit, with the right motive, It is a beautiful thing, he says. And the person who cares enough about you to offer the appropriate counsel or admonition is giving you a very valuable gift, like beautiful jewelry. It'll decorate your spirit. It'll improve your appearance before others. Still, we cannot overlook the fact that being rebuked carries a sting, and all of us have some measure. At such times as these, we need to recall what the wise king said on the subject. In Proverbs chapter 27, verses 5 and 6, open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The person who is truly your friend, who genuinely loves you, will not allow something that hurts you to remain in your life, not without correcting you. The person who is constantly flat and praising you is not genuinely your friend. That sounds familiar, doesn't it? The lesson Solomon is conveying is this. A wise person will value constructive criticism and rebuke over the ingo inflating praise of foolish flattery. Rebuke is not profitable because laughter will quickly pass, like burning thorns. When we read that in verse six, thorns burn quickly and make a lot of noise when they are burning, but they don't generate any heat or fuel. They produce nothing that is useful. And so is the song of fools. Rebuke is more profitable because pleasure is meaningless and short-lived. And so we look and we realize that in verse eight, finishing and achieving our goals is better than beginning. And so most people will testify that there's a great deal of personal satisfaction found in achieving a goal or reaching an end. A person who perseveres until a job is completed is a person who uses his or her time wisely. In a spiritual sense, we must recognize the important things in life. They're not quickly completed. The things that really matter, that require commitment, determination, and discipline. It's not always easy to live the Christian life, nor is it always easy to remain at a difficult job, or to remain faithful and constant in our marriages. Fewer and fewer couples honor the promise to remain wed until death. Even when churches go through difficult times, some members leave. This is a day when people fail to follow through with their commitments to follow Christ and to serve in the church. And even fewer continue to live lives of righteousness and holiness. You know what? I'm glad that verse eight talked about not only finishing and achieving goals is better than beginning, but a patient spirit is better than a prideful spirit. And so, Patience is linked to both statements, preceding it and to the one following it, that we're fixing to read in verse nine, that Solomon completes his previous thought about finishing being better than beginning by referring to patience, staying with a task until it's finished that requires perseverance and endurance. And so, James 1.4 says, but let patience have a perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. You see, Solomon's referral to patience also sets up the next thought, that keeping rather than losing one's temper calls for patience instead of an eruption of pride. Remember, the subject, grasp the better things of life, other words, We need to embrace the valuable lessons of life in verses one through eight. Solomon, as he addresses six specific areas that can help us guard against this. These areas don't deal with right versus wrong or obedience versus rebellion. They have to do with our taking the high road in life. Choosing the better of two things by heeding Solomon's wise counsel. We find ourselves better prepared to face eternity and will leave behind a richer legacy. With that in mind, the path before us is well defined. We need to strive for and keep a good name and a good reputation. Number two, we need to live with eternity in view. Number three, We need to take life seriously with a sense of urgency. Number four, we need to be approachable, humble, and willing to accept criticism. Number five, we need to finish everything that we have started and finish it well for the glory of God. And number six, of the six specific areas that can help us guard against these areas of dealing with right versus wrong, obedience versus rebellion, We need to be patient, not prideful in our spirits. Life is brief and our window of opportunity to affect others for eternity is limited. If we'll acknowledge our weakness in any of these areas and adopt a prayerful attitude to deal with them. God will surely hear and answer our prayers. And this line of thinking ties in well with the Old Testament book of Haggai, because Haggai was written because the remnant of Jews who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem in 538 BC had begun to project that they left unfinished for 15 years. The remnant had laid the foundation for the temple and had failed to complete it. And because they had devoted their efforts and resources to other pursuits, as a result, the Lord pointed out that the unfortunate circumstances the remnant was experiencing was because of his chastening, his correcting. God was discipling them because of their lack of perseverance and devotion to him. God does not lead us to begin something without finishing it. And He is displeased when we do not complete the work He's commanded us to do. And so, as we get ready to close out, every one of us, when we look at the universality of sin, there's a hard truth to accept. Sin is universal and no one is exempt. And so, are the degrees of wickedness and the impact of unseen sin, the injustice of life. And so, as we get ready to close out, Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, reveals the stark truth that none of us is righteous, and life often seems unfair, but God, in his mercy, sent Jesus to provide a way for us to be made right with him by trusting in Christ's perfect righteousness that we can find hope and peace, even in a broken and an unjust world. And so, each and every one of you as we close out Wisdom for Life's Journey, Devotion for Ecclesiastes in chapter 7, verses 1 through 8. I hope and pray that as we close this out, that you begin to realize that it is only through acknowledging our need for Christ's righteousness that we place our faith in him. He tells us to repent and therefore be converted that our sins may be blotted out. And I hope and pray that through the hope of righteousness, through Christ, the gospel's core message, the hard truth of universal sin is the good news of the gospel. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus lived a sinless life, took our sins upon himself on the cross, And I'm glad that Paul said, for ye hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Only through faith in Christ can we be declared righteous before God. Our response to this truth must be repentance and trust in Jesus Christ. Let's close out with prayer. And I hope that you can reflect on your need for a savior of how this truth shapes our faith. and consider ways to put our focus and our circumstances on God's eternal plan. Lord, we confess that we are sinners, unworthy of your love and grace. Thank you for sending Jesus to live a perfect life and to die in our place. Help us to trust in his righteousness alone and to walk humbly before you and give us faith to trust in your justice and peace to face life's challenges. In Jesus's marvelous, mighty name, that we pray. Amen.