How do we become wise without becoming vain and arrogant about it? Let’s begin in Ecclesiastes 1.
Do we ever ask whether our lives have been pointless, filled with meaningless pursuits?
The words of the Teacher of the Assembly, David’s son, king in Jerusalem: Perfectly pointless, says the Teacher, perfectly pointless. Everything is pointless. What do people gain from all the hard work that they work so hard at under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains as it always has. (Ecc 1:1-4 CEB)
Does the cycle of daily life continue completely without our input?
The sun comes up, the sun goes down; it hurries right back to where it started from. The wind blows south, the wind blows north; round and round it blows over and over again. All rivers empty into the sea, but it never spills over; one by one the rivers return to their source. (Ecc 1:5-7 CEV)
Do merchants rely upon our incessant covetousness instead of contentment? Has society remained basically the same in that regard since ancient times?
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. (Ecc 1:8-11 ESV)
Did the teacher summarize all human efforts as basically futile, pursuit of the wind?
I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecc 1:12-15 HCSB)
Is pride a danger in having wisdom? What are two byproducts of wisdom and knowledge that we would rather not have?
I told myself, “I have become greater and wiser than anyone who ruled before me in Jerusalem—yes, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.” So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom there is much sorrow; the more someone adds to knowledge, the more someone adds to grief. (Ecc 1:16-18 ISV)
Is there a temptation in wisdom to become conceited or arrogant in our own opinions?
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Rom 11:25 KJV)
How do we become wise without becoming vain and arrogant about it? You decide!
