The Person of Wisdom

Ecclesiates 4:13–16 (Amplified)

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive counsel (friendly reproof and warning)–  14Even though [the youth] comes out of prison to reign, while the other, born a king, becomes needy.

15I saw all the living who walk under the sun with the youth who was to stand up in the king’s stead.

16There was no end to all the people; he was over all of them. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory) and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

 

The Person of Wisdom

Character and wisdom in a person are more noble than age and position.  What benefit is age and position if you have not benefited in character to know how to rule and lead.   Wisdom is in knowing that you don’t have all of the answers, or always have a proper perspective and you are a fool if you can’t listen to any of the wise counsel around you.  Wisdom is in recognizing the right answer and responding to it.  Foolishness will brush aside the wisdom of others to indulge its own arrogance.

Wisdom can come from many non-conventional places.  It can come from youth, or those in poverty or prison.  Proverbs 14:33 says, “Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.”  A person’s wisdom makes place for them and brings them into the place of honor.  Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him And brings him before great men.”  While those who observe the wisdom and see how it exalts the one in possession of it, those who follow may not appreciate the path wisdom has taken a person or honor the position they hold.  Wisdom is honored by those who discern and observe its presence.  What is honored as wisdom by one generation may be despised and rejected by a following one.

We see the wisdom of those who started and founded this nation and yet many in this day despise and reject the wisdom that has stood the test of time.  The wisdom of that day saw the need and the value of trusting in God; many in this day do not.  Perhaps that is why the preacher says, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity”, because all of the wisdom of men will come to naught, but only the righteous wisdom of God will prevail.

Blessings,

#kent

Advertisement