This is the last week of postings so we will attempt to conclude with what we have set out to do. This has been an attempt to explore the ancient biblical book of Ecclesiastes as it applies to people who suffer from addictive and compulsive behaviors. As I have so often stated, I come at this from an orthodox evangelical point of view but have attempt[ted to broaden its application to all faiths and make it applicable to those within the twelve step community. To that end I hope it has been helpful.
This week we look at Ecclesiastes 12:9-14, verse 9 states: "Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs." (Ecc 12:9 NIV) This appears to be an editorial comment stating what the author of Ecclesiastes did. He was wise, he taught wisdom and he collected wisdom. This appears to be true from what we know of the wisdom literature of the Bible. Some portions of Proverbs was adapted of Egyptian wisdom literature. Certain portions of The Song of Solomon are Egyptian waisf poems.
Verse 10 states: "The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true." (Ecc 12:10 NIV) The commentator or editor here states that the teacher searched to find the wright words certainly he tried. Did he succeed? Many times they were troublesome and enigmatic causing one to mull over and ponder life from various aspects. What he wrote was upright and true from the aspect of the covenant of his God.
Verse 11 says: "The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd." (Ecc 12:11 NIV) These two statements are similar parallelisms. Goads are sharp sticks used to prod cattle and other large domesticated animals. the use of sharply embedded nails could refer to the end of the goad. Proverbs are designed to work like that. They produce discomfort so that you will move along the path of life and make progress.
Verse 12 states: "Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body." (Ecc 12:12 NIV) This verse has been used by students over the years to ward off the excesses of studying. The "My Son" motif is quite common in ancient near eastern literature. It stands first for the mentoring of as son by the father and then a genre of literature that is a form of teaching literature. The editor I think is stating that beyond the collection of proverbs other knowledge is quite useless. If you look at the development of the Semitic body of knowledge and culture and the Greek body of knowledge and culture you see that they are quite different.
The editor begins the final emphasis here: "Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc 12:13 NET) He carries it on with the following verse.
"For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecc 12:14 NIV) We have certainly seen these things happen in this book. We have seen that good things happen to good people bad things happen to bad people bad things happen to good people good things happen to bad people uncertainties happen all the time. This is not the first time that Solomon or the editor has directed us to "fear God"(3:14, 5:7, 7:18, 8:12). But it is a fitting climax. Regardless of how life circumstances turn out this becomes the defining rule. God judges these these.
My life has been a series of ups and downs. every circumstance, every perceived blow, every perceived blessing, every person, male or female, apparently good or bad have all contributed to my growths or downfalls and my ultimate maturity. Proverbs says: "for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity." (Pro 24:16 NIV) That's more my life. Somewhere in this past year in this blog, I have likened my life not to the beautiful tapestry that looks beautiful on one side but looks like a a bunch of strings on the other, but to the rug made with rags. I have waited about six months to use this illustration. of Cal Rogers so here it goes.
Calbraith Perry ("Cal") Rodgers, an inexperienced 32-year-old pilot, in 1911 made the first transcontinental flight across the United States. He reached Pasadena, California, on November 5, 1911, and Long Beach, California, on December 10, flying between Sheepshead Bay, near New York City, New York, and the West Coast in a Wright EX biplane. He carried the first transcontinental mail pouch and was accompanied on the ground by a support crew that repaired and rebuilt the plane after its numerous rough landings and crashes
Rodgers was the grandson of the famed Commodore Oliver Perry of the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. He was an excellent football player, yachtsman, and automobile and motorcycle racer before becoming a pilot, all in spite of deafness that resulted from a childhood bout of scarlet fever. Somewhat of a risk-taker, Rogers had taken only about 90 minutes of flying instruction from Orville Wright in June 1911, at the Wright School in Dayton, Ohio, before attempting a solo flight. He carried out the first aerial photography of industrial plants and in August 1911, won an $11,000 prize in an international air endurance contest held in Chicago. He also was the first private citizen to purchase a Wright "aeroplane," a long-wing biplane Model B that was modified for his transcontinental flight and designated a Wright Flyer EX (for Experimental).
The $50,000 prize that renowned publisher William Randolph Hearst offered to the first pilot to fly across the United States within 30 days undoubtedly helped motivate Rodgers to tackle this formidable challenge. Air flight was new to the nation. There were no airports or aircraft mechanics along the way and no air navigation maps, control towers or beacons to warn of hazards or guide the pilot. Rodgers would have to follow railroad tracks, recognize landmarks, and talk with his ground crew during periods on the ground. Also, the venture would be expensive, and Rodgers needed a sponsor.
J. Ogden Armour, a Chicago meat packer, was willing to sponsor Rodgers in return for advertising his new grape soft drink "Vin Fiz." Rodgers printed Vin Fiz on the rudder and under-wing areas of the plane, and Armour paid him three to five dollars for each mile flown, providing a total of $23,000. Armour also provided and outfitted a three-car support train, which would prove vital to Rodgers' success. This train was loaded with a crew, including his wife, his mother, a close friend, two mechanics, and two assistants as well as supplies, fuel, repair parts to rebuild the plane, and even spare engines. One car had a much-needed repair shop, and the crew had the capability to rebuild the aircraft at least twice if necessary. All cars advertised the sponsor's product--Vin Fiz.
The Wright brothers' biplane that Rodgers flew was made with relatively light materials: a spruce airframe that was covered with canvas and linen and a small 35-horsepower (26-kilowatt) engine. The plane had two eight-foot (2.4-meter) push-propellers driven by a chain-drive transmission and could fly at 45 to 60 miles per hour (72 to 97 kilometers per hour). The Vin Fiz had no instruments, other than the reported use of a shoelace to indicate vertical and lateral motion, no heater, and no navigational aids. But with what proved to be considerable foresight, Rodgers had crutches strapped to a wing.
Rogers took off from Sheepshead Bay, New York, at 4:30 p.m. on September 17, 1911. He followed railroad tracks and avoided mountains, storms, and other hazards. Along the way, he landed around 70 times, which included at least 16 crashes some that put him in the hospital. Damage to the Vin Fiz was so extensive that the plane had to be rebuilt at least twice. Only a very few pieces of the original Vin Fiz made it all the way a vertical rudder, a couple of wing struts, and possibly the original engine oil pan.
Forty-nine days later, on November 5, Rodgers landed in Pasadena, California, He had missed Hearst's deadline by 19 days. So that he could say he had reached the Pacific Ocean, he took off again on November 12, to cover the remaining 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the ocean, only to be forced down twice, once suffering a broken ankle. But on December 10, 1911, he flew on to the beach at Long Beach, California, and taxied the Vin Fiz into the Pacific Ocean. The entire trip of approximately 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers) (authorities differ on the exact number of miles) had taken 84 days, although only about 82 hours were spent aloft!
Rodgers' determination and thorough preparation for the flight enabled him to be the first to make his way across the country by air, even though he missed the time deadline for the $50,000.00 prize.
The public recognized his triumph over life-threatening challenges. The number of onlookers grew from a handful of people wishing him well at his initial takeoff, to newspaper reporters and crowds cheering him on as he crossed the continent, all the way to national celebrity status, with some 20,000 witnessing his November 5 landing in Pasadena.
But as was the case with so many early pilots, tragedy struck. Almost five months later, on April 3, 1912, while making a test flight in Long Beach, near the site of the end of his record-setting flight, he flew into a flock of birds--a problem still facing aviators today. One bird, probably a seagull, was believed to have stuck in his plane's controls, causing the plane to crash into the surf. When pulled from the wreckage, Cal Rodgers was dead of a broken neck.
quoted in its entirety from The U.S. Centennial Flight Commission
http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/Vin_Fiz/EX6.htm
This is how I feel. The journey has hardly been what I thought it would be. I am not at the end yet. But certainly it is not what I thought it would be. Like Cal, I, we must have a huge support team around us. There are and will be crashes and we have to put ourselves back together. Solomon urges us at just the right moments in this book when he paints the bleakest pictures to accept and embrace the promises of God and find meaning in the God who contains meaning above the sun for us who "live under the sun."
What does this mean for those who suffer for addiction and compulsivity? if you are not in recovery. if you have not embraced sobriety. I urge you to to do wo now. addiction is a self diagnosed desease. Enter the recovery community. It will be a whole new way of life. Do something intentional everyday for your recovery. Deboroah Hazelton says: "Temptations are invitations to help me make sure I am serious about my desires and expectations. I won’t settle for less." I hope that those of you who read this blog this year found it helpful. I fhound it helpful in guiding my life and finding direction for myself. Thanks for taking the time to read it. God's blessing to you all.
Sorry this didn't get published December 31 2009. Tough day. here it is now. This blog will be temporarily suspended. Probably to be picked up in 2011.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Solomon Project:Ecclesiastes 12:3-8
For the rationale for this blog see earlier blogs. We will pick up at 12:3 this week. Verse 12:2 is an excellent transition to the aging process of the human body and the experience of old age. The viewing of the environment may be in view here in verse 2.
"when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim;" (Ecc 12:3 NIV) The keepers refer to the self the human beings who inhabit their bodies. The house refers to the human body. strong men stooping refer to the effects of old age. grinders refers to the teeth and the lose of them because of old age and long use. "looking through the windows" refer to the lose of clarity of eye sight.
"when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;" (Ecc 12:4 NIV) The doors to the street closing refers to the loss of social interaction of the aging and the reclusiveness that sets in. the metaphor of the fading of the grinding refers to the societal interaction of the making of food. The rising at the sound of birds refers to the loss of the ability to sleep deeply. The fact the songs grow faint refers to the loss of hearing.
The author continues on. "when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets." (Ecc 12:5 NIV) He talks about being afraid of heights and dangers in the streets, things that may not have ordinarily stirred fear in younger years. The blossoming of the Almond tree refers to the turning of the hair white and the metaphor of the grasshopper refers to the crippling of limbs in old age. Desire being stirred is a euphemism for sexual desire. Solomon states plainly of what he is speaking here that "man goes to his eternal home."
Solomon's point he is well taken here: "Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well," (Ecc 12:6 NIV) The author tells the reader to remember the living before he dies. He uses a series of metaphors to speak of death. the severing of the silver cord, the breaking of the golden bowl, the shattering of the pitcher, the breaking of the wheel, one having to do with holding things together, one having to do with holding things inside, one has to do with the value of the vessel itself, the wheel refers to activity.
"and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." (Ecc 12:7 NIV) This refers to the Genesis account of the forming of Adam from the dust of the earth. Then he breathed into him the breathe of life.
""Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!"" (Ecc 12:8 NIV) The author ends this section with the lament of meaninglessness. the meaningless life ends in a meaningless death. This verse serves as a transition between this last section and the epilogue of the book.
What does this have to teach those of us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? First of all those we do appreciate we need to tell as soon as possible. life is short. the struggle is long. the focus is inward. Ecclesiastes has taught us that if not anything else.
Secondly, amends made to living people will always work out better than an attempt to make them to those who have passed to the dust and the spirit to the God who gave it. Keep short account with those we are in relationship. Lets keep our resentments list short and make amends quickly. I had one that had to be done this week and when presented with the opportunity I got it done. I breathed a sigh of relief and slept well that night.
Thirdly, let us resolve to be ready to have that silver thread broken knowing that there is not another amends left to be made or another resent left to be resolved. life is to short to hold onto the poison of anger and resentment only to have it kill us more quickly.
Our time is up for today so until next time keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
"when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim;" (Ecc 12:3 NIV) The keepers refer to the self the human beings who inhabit their bodies. The house refers to the human body. strong men stooping refer to the effects of old age. grinders refers to the teeth and the lose of them because of old age and long use. "looking through the windows" refer to the lose of clarity of eye sight.
"when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;" (Ecc 12:4 NIV) The doors to the street closing refers to the loss of social interaction of the aging and the reclusiveness that sets in. the metaphor of the fading of the grinding refers to the societal interaction of the making of food. The rising at the sound of birds refers to the loss of the ability to sleep deeply. The fact the songs grow faint refers to the loss of hearing.
The author continues on. "when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets." (Ecc 12:5 NIV) He talks about being afraid of heights and dangers in the streets, things that may not have ordinarily stirred fear in younger years. The blossoming of the Almond tree refers to the turning of the hair white and the metaphor of the grasshopper refers to the crippling of limbs in old age. Desire being stirred is a euphemism for sexual desire. Solomon states plainly of what he is speaking here that "man goes to his eternal home."
Solomon's point he is well taken here: "Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well," (Ecc 12:6 NIV) The author tells the reader to remember the living before he dies. He uses a series of metaphors to speak of death. the severing of the silver cord, the breaking of the golden bowl, the shattering of the pitcher, the breaking of the wheel, one having to do with holding things together, one having to do with holding things inside, one has to do with the value of the vessel itself, the wheel refers to activity.
"and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." (Ecc 12:7 NIV) This refers to the Genesis account of the forming of Adam from the dust of the earth. Then he breathed into him the breathe of life.
""Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!"" (Ecc 12:8 NIV) The author ends this section with the lament of meaninglessness. the meaningless life ends in a meaningless death. This verse serves as a transition between this last section and the epilogue of the book.
What does this have to teach those of us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? First of all those we do appreciate we need to tell as soon as possible. life is short. the struggle is long. the focus is inward. Ecclesiastes has taught us that if not anything else.
Secondly, amends made to living people will always work out better than an attempt to make them to those who have passed to the dust and the spirit to the God who gave it. Keep short account with those we are in relationship. Lets keep our resentments list short and make amends quickly. I had one that had to be done this week and when presented with the opportunity I got it done. I breathed a sigh of relief and slept well that night.
Thirdly, let us resolve to be ready to have that silver thread broken knowing that there is not another amends left to be made or another resent left to be resolved. life is to short to hold onto the poison of anger and resentment only to have it kill us more quickly.
Our time is up for today so until next time keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Solomon Project-- Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:2
The Solomon Project is a blog that attempts to apply the age-old biblical book of Ecclesiastes to addiction and compulsive behavior. While I come at the book from an evangelical perspective the thrust of the blog is an attempt to help those of all faiths come to terms with the issues facing people who suffer from these disorders. The author has much to tell us about life and how to live it.
In the last section Solomon encouraged us to embrace life for all it is worth in spite of the fact that we may not know everything. He urged us to seize the moment in our endeavors and pursue life with diligence and prudence.
"Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless." (Ecc 11:7-8 NIV) Solomon speaks here of life. Those who are alive see the sun. He calls the reader to enjoy these days. He must also remember that as throughout the book days of darkness will come. These will include oppression, fleeting enjoyments, financial loss and death. The final days will be meaningless. As always he holds out hope though especially for the young.
"Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment." (Ecc 11:9 NIV) This does not refer to eschatological judgment. This is the old testament "under the sun." Solomon is saying Youthful exuberance and its in-the-moment passion which the author espouses will bring consequences since life is never lived perfectly.
"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." (Ecc 11:10 NIV) The NET Bible translates anxiety here "Emotional stress." This fits very well. Solomon, as throughout the book, sees youthfulness as having strength and vigor but ultimately it is meaningless because does not provide the true answers to the deep questions of life.
"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"--" (Ecc 12:1 NIV) Solomon is urging those in their prime to acknowledge God's sovereignty over their life before hard times come all of the things that he has spoken about in the previous sections of the book: surprising and curious twists of fate, undeserving jobs events superior and authoritarian capriciousness. These bouts of reality bring a seasoning of our view of ourselves God and the world.
"before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;" (Ecc 12:2 NIV) This is a somewhat enigmatic statement what does the light refer to and clouds usually dissipate after a rain. the structure of the verse belies a parallelism and thus may be there for structure more than for anything else. the light may simply refer to the day light than anything else and serve to form the parallelism. the clouds form a reverse to what we would think would be there after a rain which would be sunlight but for those "under the sun", the older mature grief and reality stricken life-educated people would acknowledge the clouds rather than the sunlight. (I'm sorry I had another four paragraphs that were deleted before they were saved. I simply don't have the strength at 12:30 AM to go back and rewrite them. This is all I can do. So until next week. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
In the last section Solomon encouraged us to embrace life for all it is worth in spite of the fact that we may not know everything. He urged us to seize the moment in our endeavors and pursue life with diligence and prudence.
"Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless." (Ecc 11:7-8 NIV) Solomon speaks here of life. Those who are alive see the sun. He calls the reader to enjoy these days. He must also remember that as throughout the book days of darkness will come. These will include oppression, fleeting enjoyments, financial loss and death. The final days will be meaningless. As always he holds out hope though especially for the young.
"Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment." (Ecc 11:9 NIV) This does not refer to eschatological judgment. This is the old testament "under the sun." Solomon is saying Youthful exuberance and its in-the-moment passion which the author espouses will bring consequences since life is never lived perfectly.
"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." (Ecc 11:10 NIV) The NET Bible translates anxiety here "Emotional stress." This fits very well. Solomon, as throughout the book, sees youthfulness as having strength and vigor but ultimately it is meaningless because does not provide the true answers to the deep questions of life.
"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"--" (Ecc 12:1 NIV) Solomon is urging those in their prime to acknowledge God's sovereignty over their life before hard times come all of the things that he has spoken about in the previous sections of the book: surprising and curious twists of fate, undeserving jobs events superior and authoritarian capriciousness. These bouts of reality bring a seasoning of our view of ourselves God and the world.
"before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;" (Ecc 12:2 NIV) This is a somewhat enigmatic statement what does the light refer to and clouds usually dissipate after a rain. the structure of the verse belies a parallelism and thus may be there for structure more than for anything else. the light may simply refer to the day light than anything else and serve to form the parallelism. the clouds form a reverse to what we would think would be there after a rain which would be sunlight but for those "under the sun", the older mature grief and reality stricken life-educated people would acknowledge the clouds rather than the sunlight. (I'm sorry I had another four paragraphs that were deleted before they were saved. I simply don't have the strength at 12:30 AM to go back and rewrite them. This is all I can do. So until next week. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Solomon Project-- Ecclesiastes 11:3-6
For the rationale of this blog please earlier blogs. This week we look at the acts of nature and how they correspond to human life.
"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie." (Ecc 11:3 NIV) Two illustrations are given here. The first refers to certainty and the second to finality. the terms "north" and "south" are a merism referring to whatever direction the tree may fall. Clouds and rain storms can be clearly seen. The falling of a tree may not. Walking through the forest you will find a tree fallen. You may not have heard it (yes contrary to philosophical musings it will make a noise). It may have been standing the day before or the week before but "today" as you observe it, it has fallen without any warning.
"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." (Ecc 11:4 NIV) The agricultural metaphors here will not make much sense to those who have not worked in agriculture. Sowing seed by hand must be done on a calm day or the seed willl not fall evenly on the ground. Secondly wind portends bad weather many times. The problem is that if one waits for the perfect time nothing will ever get done. If you wait for a perfectly calm day you may miss the entire planting season. The same goes for the concept of reaping. This is the second of two merisms from nature. The first being the tree falling either to the north or to the south. Here the merism involves planting the beginning of the season and reaping the end of the season. It includes everything in between. The concept of clouds picks up the metaphor from the earlier verse (verse 3). Clouds bring rain and can ruin a harvest. Diligence calls for bringing in that harvest at just the right time and action before fall and winter rains hit. This calls for prudence dilligence and planning, all things that the author has been expounding by a variety of methods in this book.
"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecc 11:5 NIV) Without infinite knowledge one may think (believe?) that we are incapable of functioning. There are inscrutable things we still do not know. Solomon's point is that wisdom while limited is sufficient for sunctioning in life. Absolute knowledge is unattainable but not needed to function in life.
"Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." (Ecc 11:6 NIV) Solomon returns to the agricultural metaphor in this verse. The winds are calm in the morning and are the perfect time for sowing seed. however it does not mean that one whould continue sowing all day long (as some think). The verse continues to talk about not allowing your hands to be idle in the evening. The metaphor applies to work morning and evening. The merism (both ends of the spectrum of an activity which include everything in between) applies to work throughout the day and into the evening. Bear in mind that if you did not sow you did not reap and if you did not reap you and any of your livestock may not eat. This was a life and death situation. Wisdom, not infinite knowledge, teaches us to act strategically in living life. Earlier Solomon urges us to do whatever is immediately at hand with complete focus and passion (9:10).
Thus through trading on the high seas and the lessons of nature and agriculture Solomon encourages us to take risks, give generously and act diligently and prudently in the affairs of life. Carpe Diem!!
What does this have to do with those of us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? Many times an accompanying disorder is anxiety. We call it the "desease of needing to know" Infinite knowledge would be overwhelming. We must learn to work with the knowledge we have been given and make wise choices based upon those facts. We can succomb to the "paralysis of analysis." Those who struggle with addiction are especially afflicted with the need for predictability: Responses of those in our close relationships, at work, our friends. Solomon is saying that life in unpredictable. But God is the maker of all things. We tend to think of that in terms of concrete objects but it refers to time, space, thoughts and events not just the physical world. The AA Big Book talks about giving freely (p. 164). How well do you do at that? Many times addicts and compulsive people consume everything with the addiction. Giving to others of what we find in our twelve step programs or of our lives turns us from the addiction and to others. How do dilligence and prudence fit into your recovery plan? What have you done today to move yourself forward in recovery? What focused action was taken this day to say that you will be a better person tomorrow? Our time is up for this session. So until next week keep coming back it works if your work it and you're worth it.
"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie." (Ecc 11:3 NIV) Two illustrations are given here. The first refers to certainty and the second to finality. the terms "north" and "south" are a merism referring to whatever direction the tree may fall. Clouds and rain storms can be clearly seen. The falling of a tree may not. Walking through the forest you will find a tree fallen. You may not have heard it (yes contrary to philosophical musings it will make a noise). It may have been standing the day before or the week before but "today" as you observe it, it has fallen without any warning.
"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." (Ecc 11:4 NIV) The agricultural metaphors here will not make much sense to those who have not worked in agriculture. Sowing seed by hand must be done on a calm day or the seed willl not fall evenly on the ground. Secondly wind portends bad weather many times. The problem is that if one waits for the perfect time nothing will ever get done. If you wait for a perfectly calm day you may miss the entire planting season. The same goes for the concept of reaping. This is the second of two merisms from nature. The first being the tree falling either to the north or to the south. Here the merism involves planting the beginning of the season and reaping the end of the season. It includes everything in between. The concept of clouds picks up the metaphor from the earlier verse (verse 3). Clouds bring rain and can ruin a harvest. Diligence calls for bringing in that harvest at just the right time and action before fall and winter rains hit. This calls for prudence dilligence and planning, all things that the author has been expounding by a variety of methods in this book.
"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecc 11:5 NIV) Without infinite knowledge one may think (believe?) that we are incapable of functioning. There are inscrutable things we still do not know. Solomon's point is that wisdom while limited is sufficient for sunctioning in life. Absolute knowledge is unattainable but not needed to function in life.
"Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." (Ecc 11:6 NIV) Solomon returns to the agricultural metaphor in this verse. The winds are calm in the morning and are the perfect time for sowing seed. however it does not mean that one whould continue sowing all day long (as some think). The verse continues to talk about not allowing your hands to be idle in the evening. The metaphor applies to work morning and evening. The merism (both ends of the spectrum of an activity which include everything in between) applies to work throughout the day and into the evening. Bear in mind that if you did not sow you did not reap and if you did not reap you and any of your livestock may not eat. This was a life and death situation. Wisdom, not infinite knowledge, teaches us to act strategically in living life. Earlier Solomon urges us to do whatever is immediately at hand with complete focus and passion (9:10).
Thus through trading on the high seas and the lessons of nature and agriculture Solomon encourages us to take risks, give generously and act diligently and prudently in the affairs of life. Carpe Diem!!
What does this have to do with those of us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? Many times an accompanying disorder is anxiety. We call it the "desease of needing to know" Infinite knowledge would be overwhelming. We must learn to work with the knowledge we have been given and make wise choices based upon those facts. We can succomb to the "paralysis of analysis." Those who struggle with addiction are especially afflicted with the need for predictability: Responses of those in our close relationships, at work, our friends. Solomon is saying that life in unpredictable. But God is the maker of all things. We tend to think of that in terms of concrete objects but it refers to time, space, thoughts and events not just the physical world. The AA Big Book talks about giving freely (p. 164). How well do you do at that? Many times addicts and compulsive people consume everything with the addiction. Giving to others of what we find in our twelve step programs or of our lives turns us from the addiction and to others. How do dilligence and prudence fit into your recovery plan? What have you done today to move yourself forward in recovery? What focused action was taken this day to say that you will be a better person tomorrow? Our time is up for this session. So until next week keep coming back it works if your work it and you're worth it.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Solomon Project-- Ecclesiastes 10:16-11:2
See earlier posts for the rationale of this blog. This section deals with the wickedness of childish leadership. But there is danger in criticizing such leadership. "Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning." (Ecc 10:16 NIV) The NET Bible captures the sense of this verse better. "Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!" (Ecc 10:16 NET) This is in contrast with the next verse which talks about nobility. Children are not physically, mentally or emotionally capable of handling the rigors of leadership. So it is true of the "king" who acts childish. Not only is he acting childish but his "princes" also follow his lead. Feasting in the morning was a sign that the leader was intemperate. A word we don't use much in our society anymore. The word means an excessive indulgence in alcoholic beverages. It is generalized to refer to any behavior that is an immoderate indulgence in any appetite or passion. The childish "king" and his princes do not know how to manage their appetites or passions. Thus at times when "kingly things should be being performed the "king" is indulging himself in drunkenness. He leads his princes, those who assist him in his duties, into profligate behavior as well.
The following verse is a contrast to this condition. " Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness." (Ecc 10:17 NIV) The land here is a personification of the land and a metonymy. The land stands for the people of the land. A leader who knows when to eat and drink for sustenance rather than indulgence is a blessing to his people. He exercises constraint and discipline. noble birth birth means literally a "freeman" throughout Semitic parallels. A noble king sets an example for those who rule under him. They follow his example of discipline and restraint.
An entire book could be written on these verses when it comes to leadership. I have seen both types and I would much rather function under a leader who disciplines himself and leads his managers by the same example. Much talent is wasted and many business relationships are lost due to the excess of alcohol when temperance would have won the battle. A childish king does not know how to lead. A noble king knows the proper time for things (cf. 3:1-8).
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks."
(Ecc 10:18 NIV) Interpreters do not seem to see what the connection is to the previous flow of thought. While not easy it is not impossible either. Leadership sets the pace, the course, if you will for a nation. If the leaders do not show proper diligence then the rank and file citizens will not exercise prudence and oversight over their own homes. Lazy leaders breed lazy citizens.
"A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything." (Ecc 10:19 NIV) This verse may be harder to fit into the context than verse 18. The idea of feasting at the wrong time has been introduced in verses 16-17. The author appears to broaden the concept in verse 19 here. Feasting in and of itself is not wrong. Done at the improper time is unwise. He introduces money with the concept here. Feasts are not lasting. They vanish just like the blowing of the wind upon which metaphor the book is build. Money either can vanish or it can be the answer for everything. Just as feasts can strengthen men so they can lead to indolent indulgence.
"Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say." (Ecc 10:20 NIV) This is the ancient equivalent of our American saying "the walls have ears." Cursing the king or the rich suggests an unequal power factor When things are said that may be useful to the king to know. Friendships or servant alliances may be sacrificed for ingratiation or monetary gain.
Solomon understood great power and he understood the intrigues of kingship and the court. Witness the civil revolt led by his brother Absalom against his father David. Solomon warns against saying anything against those who have power because they have power to help you but also they have the power to hurt. In this instance it would be hurt based purely upon hearsay evidence, something said in your bedroom or even in your thoughts gets to the king, and it does not go well with you.
"Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." (Ecc 11:1 NIV) In the face of uncertainty: foolish kings, a self indulgent administration poor work habits from the rank and file. Solomon tells the reader to be diligent in the investing of resources. This is a maxim that will help to stop the adverse and unpredictable circumstances that can befall one who lives under the son.
Solomon goes on to give another piece of sage advice. "Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land." (Ecc 11:2 NIV) This is the principle of diversification (see Gen 32:7-8). Solomon did this apparently. Evidence has been found that his ships actually sailed as far as South American!!
This section has been about the uncertainty of leadership. It shows us that when leaders do not lead than the average citizen is hard pressed to do his part and stay motivated to keep even his own house in order. In the face of such an upside-down motivational environment, working diligently, wisely and diversifying resources gives one the best chance of success in insecure world.
How well do we do diversify our interests? In an age when it is hard to watch our shrinking savings account can we diversify? I know it is hard for me. Let's think outside the monetary aspects. What strengths, talents, passions and drives can be translated into a much greater advancement for yourself? You never know until you try. Remember you are the only one who can limit you. Our time is up for today: Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
The following verse is a contrast to this condition. " Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness." (Ecc 10:17 NIV) The land here is a personification of the land and a metonymy. The land stands for the people of the land. A leader who knows when to eat and drink for sustenance rather than indulgence is a blessing to his people. He exercises constraint and discipline. noble birth birth means literally a "freeman" throughout Semitic parallels. A noble king sets an example for those who rule under him. They follow his example of discipline and restraint.
An entire book could be written on these verses when it comes to leadership. I have seen both types and I would much rather function under a leader who disciplines himself and leads his managers by the same example. Much talent is wasted and many business relationships are lost due to the excess of alcohol when temperance would have won the battle. A childish king does not know how to lead. A noble king knows the proper time for things (cf. 3:1-8).
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks."
(Ecc 10:18 NIV) Interpreters do not seem to see what the connection is to the previous flow of thought. While not easy it is not impossible either. Leadership sets the pace, the course, if you will for a nation. If the leaders do not show proper diligence then the rank and file citizens will not exercise prudence and oversight over their own homes. Lazy leaders breed lazy citizens.
"A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything." (Ecc 10:19 NIV) This verse may be harder to fit into the context than verse 18. The idea of feasting at the wrong time has been introduced in verses 16-17. The author appears to broaden the concept in verse 19 here. Feasting in and of itself is not wrong. Done at the improper time is unwise. He introduces money with the concept here. Feasts are not lasting. They vanish just like the blowing of the wind upon which metaphor the book is build. Money either can vanish or it can be the answer for everything. Just as feasts can strengthen men so they can lead to indolent indulgence.
"Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say." (Ecc 10:20 NIV) This is the ancient equivalent of our American saying "the walls have ears." Cursing the king or the rich suggests an unequal power factor When things are said that may be useful to the king to know. Friendships or servant alliances may be sacrificed for ingratiation or monetary gain.
Solomon understood great power and he understood the intrigues of kingship and the court. Witness the civil revolt led by his brother Absalom against his father David. Solomon warns against saying anything against those who have power because they have power to help you but also they have the power to hurt. In this instance it would be hurt based purely upon hearsay evidence, something said in your bedroom or even in your thoughts gets to the king, and it does not go well with you.
"Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." (Ecc 11:1 NIV) In the face of uncertainty: foolish kings, a self indulgent administration poor work habits from the rank and file. Solomon tells the reader to be diligent in the investing of resources. This is a maxim that will help to stop the adverse and unpredictable circumstances that can befall one who lives under the son.
Solomon goes on to give another piece of sage advice. "Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land." (Ecc 11:2 NIV) This is the principle of diversification (see Gen 32:7-8). Solomon did this apparently. Evidence has been found that his ships actually sailed as far as South American!!
This section has been about the uncertainty of leadership. It shows us that when leaders do not lead than the average citizen is hard pressed to do his part and stay motivated to keep even his own house in order. In the face of such an upside-down motivational environment, working diligently, wisely and diversifying resources gives one the best chance of success in insecure world.
How well do we do diversify our interests? In an age when it is hard to watch our shrinking savings account can we diversify? I know it is hard for me. Let's think outside the monetary aspects. What strengths, talents, passions and drives can be translated into a much greater advancement for yourself? You never know until you try. Remember you are the only one who can limit you. Our time is up for today: Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Solomon Project-- Ecclesiastes 10:11-15
This blog is for those who suffer from addictive and compulsive behaviors. Particularly sexual addiction. It is based on the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. It is written to apply to a broad range of world views. It is my hope that those who read this blog will find wisdom, comfort and hope as they struggle with sexual addictive and compulsive behaviors.
The thought of the previous verses continues: "If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer." (Ecc 10:11 NIV) Solomon is presenting the benefits and limitations of wisdom in this series of proverbs. Here he demonstrates that wisdom is necessary in dangerous situations i.e. charming snakes, a dangerous task indeed! However timing is important. No matter how skillful you are if it is not applied at the right time one can get hurt badly.
"Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips." (Ecc 10:12 NIV) Solomon directs his attention to human interaction now and away from the dangers of occupation. See Proverbs 13:15 and 22:1. The concept here is that the wise man's words win him favor. The contrast is with the fool who is "consumed" by his own words. Probably what would apply here is that the fool not only talks others to death but also talks himself to death. The wise man's words show him to be skillful in living life the fool's words literally turn upon themselves and the fool is eaten alive by them.
The author continues his observations about the words of the fool: "At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness--" (Ecc 10:13 NIV) This verse is a very good example of the figure of speech called a merism. Solomon gives both ends of the spectrum "the beginning" and "the end--and everything in between." Meaning from start to finish. They start in folly and end in wicked madness. It doesn't sound like someone you would want to carry on a conversation with.
Solomon continues to pile on the comparisons and contrasts: "and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-- who can tell him what will happen after him? (Ecc 10:14 NIV)" The multiplication of words will continue because he doesn't know when to stop. The constant barrage of words never gives the fool time to think that know one knows the future--he doesn't--he doesn't even know the way to town (10:3, 10:15). Also he can't know what will happen after him. After he is dead.
Are we, both male and female, men and women of few words? Are those words gracious (10:12) Gracious words are looked at primarily as benefiting the speaker in this instance. There are other instances where the wise person's speech benefits others. We are known by our words. We are also judge on behaviors. Words are powerful and can do great good or harm. What are our words like today. As addicts and compulsive people we lash out in anger sometimes saying hurtful things for which some regressive step work will have to be done. There are consequences to our actions. As we move into recovery we will probably use less words and have them carry more meaning for us and those around us.
"A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town." (Ecc 10:15 NIV) Rather than invigorating a person, work for the fool tires him out. Solomon has urged the reader to find enjoyment under the sun all the days of his life in his work that God has given him to do. But the fool is tired of and by his work.
The last part of the verse is hyperbole an overeggageration for effect. contemporary sayings might be "He doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain." One perhaps more dated but some may relate to is "He can't think himself out of a phone booth." The fool had been to town many times. In fact in these times they lived in towns. They worked outside the walls of the city and came in at night for protection. They last part of the Proverb means that he doesn't know how to Carry on the most basic parts of life even though he knows them well. Are any of us in this state? Addiction has so mapped our brain that we have left our "hometown" so to speak and can't find our way back. Perhaps you find yourself far from friends who love you and are angry at them because they have "moved" Yet your are the one who is lost and can't find your way back to your home town.
This week we have looked at limitations and benefits of wisdom and the sheer madness of foolish words and actions. Wisdom though limited has the ability to help us along our path in recovery. As we practice sobriety and recovery, we we learn that nothing is sure but the alternative will leave us a long long way from where we want to be.
The thought of the previous verses continues: "If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer." (Ecc 10:11 NIV) Solomon is presenting the benefits and limitations of wisdom in this series of proverbs. Here he demonstrates that wisdom is necessary in dangerous situations i.e. charming snakes, a dangerous task indeed! However timing is important. No matter how skillful you are if it is not applied at the right time one can get hurt badly.
"Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips." (Ecc 10:12 NIV) Solomon directs his attention to human interaction now and away from the dangers of occupation. See Proverbs 13:15 and 22:1. The concept here is that the wise man's words win him favor. The contrast is with the fool who is "consumed" by his own words. Probably what would apply here is that the fool not only talks others to death but also talks himself to death. The wise man's words show him to be skillful in living life the fool's words literally turn upon themselves and the fool is eaten alive by them.
The author continues his observations about the words of the fool: "At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness--" (Ecc 10:13 NIV) This verse is a very good example of the figure of speech called a merism. Solomon gives both ends of the spectrum "the beginning" and "the end--and everything in between." Meaning from start to finish. They start in folly and end in wicked madness. It doesn't sound like someone you would want to carry on a conversation with.
Solomon continues to pile on the comparisons and contrasts: "and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-- who can tell him what will happen after him? (Ecc 10:14 NIV)" The multiplication of words will continue because he doesn't know when to stop. The constant barrage of words never gives the fool time to think that know one knows the future--he doesn't--he doesn't even know the way to town (10:3, 10:15). Also he can't know what will happen after him. After he is dead.
Are we, both male and female, men and women of few words? Are those words gracious (10:12) Gracious words are looked at primarily as benefiting the speaker in this instance. There are other instances where the wise person's speech benefits others. We are known by our words. We are also judge on behaviors. Words are powerful and can do great good or harm. What are our words like today. As addicts and compulsive people we lash out in anger sometimes saying hurtful things for which some regressive step work will have to be done. There are consequences to our actions. As we move into recovery we will probably use less words and have them carry more meaning for us and those around us.
"A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town." (Ecc 10:15 NIV) Rather than invigorating a person, work for the fool tires him out. Solomon has urged the reader to find enjoyment under the sun all the days of his life in his work that God has given him to do. But the fool is tired of and by his work.
The last part of the verse is hyperbole an overeggageration for effect. contemporary sayings might be "He doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain." One perhaps more dated but some may relate to is "He can't think himself out of a phone booth." The fool had been to town many times. In fact in these times they lived in towns. They worked outside the walls of the city and came in at night for protection. They last part of the Proverb means that he doesn't know how to Carry on the most basic parts of life even though he knows them well. Are any of us in this state? Addiction has so mapped our brain that we have left our "hometown" so to speak and can't find our way back. Perhaps you find yourself far from friends who love you and are angry at them because they have "moved" Yet your are the one who is lost and can't find your way back to your home town.
This week we have looked at limitations and benefits of wisdom and the sheer madness of foolish words and actions. Wisdom though limited has the ability to help us along our path in recovery. As we practice sobriety and recovery, we we learn that nothing is sure but the alternative will leave us a long long way from where we want to be.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 10:5-10
The rationale for this blog can be found on earlier posts. If you are not familiar with the reason for this blog please avail yourself of the opportunity to do so.
How did things go with the authorities this week? The pastor, policeman, local politician, national politicians, the football coaches? How about the doctors, dentists, eye doctors, other health care officials you came in contact with? The author some call him Qohelet, the preacher, begins another line of thinking now. The determinative marker we have come to recognize is in place here--"There is an evil I have seen under the sun . . ." The author will present us with a story to teach the lesson. "There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:" (Ecc 10:5 NIV) The evil arises from an error. Solomon has spent much time providing us with illustrations and anecdotes that lead us to accept that we live in a less than perfect world--errors can and do happen. Decisions are made every day that are less than perfect. Solomon is saying that out of those can come evil. He starts by talking about the source of the error. It comes from a ruler. Those that are in authority. He continues on: "Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones." (Ecc 10:6 NIV) Because of the errors of those in authority fools are in high positions and the rich are in the low positions. The fool has authority and can't even find his way on the road (10:3). The rich (perhaps here in wisdom from our point of view) are placed in parallel to the fools. In Israelite society the rich should have had these opportunities but did not. They held lowly positions instead. Have you ever been in that situation? Through the error in judgment of one of your superiors you have a fool for a boss? Or you may have observed it in our list above. It happens. Remember the previous verse though: Calmness before an angry ruler lays great errors to rest. Qohelet turns the way things are supposed to be upside down with this example. Life isn't supposed to be this way. Calmness and wisdom can help us get through it.
In the next verse Solomon presents another variation on a theme. "I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves." (Ecc 10:7 NIV) Errors in judgement, says Qohelet, turns the world upside down. The entire social order can be turned on its "ear." Ours is a fairly stable society we don't see a lot of change like this but Solomon saw it. His descendants after him proliferated and endured much more.
"Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake." (Ecc 10:8 NIV) This proverb placed here has caused many to make valiant attempts to tie it to the previous contexts. First what does the proverb say? Basically that there is always a danger that your occupation while a seemingly mundane activity carries the potential for danger. How does this tie into the context. Harm can come through rulers and those in authority but harm can come to one who is simply doing his job. He doesn't need the intrusion of a foolish ruler to incur that harm. Workmen are harmed in various degrees of severity everyday from crane accidents to a cut on the hand requiring only a bandage. These are part of living life "under the sun" These mundane accidents can be much easier to take than a foolish ruler who can wreck much more damage.
The next verse presents more severe mishaps. "Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them." (Ecc 10:9 NIV) The same idea is carried on here from the previous verse, a Hebrew technique of extended comparative parallelism of thought "Accidents happen." The fitfulness of this is that if (and Solomon believes that it is) the divine providence of God is at work at all it does not necessarily provide comfort in the Topsy-turvy world under the sun.
Some have called this next verse the most enigmatic in the entire book of Ecclesiastes. "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success." (Ecc 10:10 NIV) This is perhaps one of those verses whose grammatical nuances escape us through the course of time. The connection is to the last phrase of the previous verse, that of log splitting. Splitting logs will take more work with an unsharpened ax. The wise workman will sharpen the ax in order to insure that he remains safe as he works. That may be the paradox here. One might think that sharp tools are dangerous, but in the hands of skilled workmen they are more effective. The word wisdom ends this verse in the original text, that I think is the key. One person has translated this verse "If the axe is blunt and the edge is not sharp, then he must increase his efforts. But the advantage of wisdom is success." (Longman 243)
How can this apply to those who suffer from addictive and compulsive behaviors particularly sexual addiction. We may want to battle against what we perceive as fools in charge. Can we use the steps to helps us through difficult circumstances? Can we rely upon our higher power to enable us to make wise choices. Wisdom and skill apply not only to making our way through life with those in authority but applying the skills to living in recovery. We work skillfully at maintaining sobriety and increasing in recovery. The wise workman works smarter not harder. Are you applying great effort to sobriety and recovery? Are there new ways to use the tools you have to gain greater growth with less effort. Are there new tools to obtain that will increase your skills. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if your work it and you're worth it.
How did things go with the authorities this week? The pastor, policeman, local politician, national politicians, the football coaches? How about the doctors, dentists, eye doctors, other health care officials you came in contact with? The author some call him Qohelet, the preacher, begins another line of thinking now. The determinative marker we have come to recognize is in place here--"There is an evil I have seen under the sun . . ." The author will present us with a story to teach the lesson. "There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:" (Ecc 10:5 NIV) The evil arises from an error. Solomon has spent much time providing us with illustrations and anecdotes that lead us to accept that we live in a less than perfect world--errors can and do happen. Decisions are made every day that are less than perfect. Solomon is saying that out of those can come evil. He starts by talking about the source of the error. It comes from a ruler. Those that are in authority. He continues on: "Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones." (Ecc 10:6 NIV) Because of the errors of those in authority fools are in high positions and the rich are in the low positions. The fool has authority and can't even find his way on the road (10:3). The rich (perhaps here in wisdom from our point of view) are placed in parallel to the fools. In Israelite society the rich should have had these opportunities but did not. They held lowly positions instead. Have you ever been in that situation? Through the error in judgment of one of your superiors you have a fool for a boss? Or you may have observed it in our list above. It happens. Remember the previous verse though: Calmness before an angry ruler lays great errors to rest. Qohelet turns the way things are supposed to be upside down with this example. Life isn't supposed to be this way. Calmness and wisdom can help us get through it.
In the next verse Solomon presents another variation on a theme. "I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves." (Ecc 10:7 NIV) Errors in judgement, says Qohelet, turns the world upside down. The entire social order can be turned on its "ear." Ours is a fairly stable society we don't see a lot of change like this but Solomon saw it. His descendants after him proliferated and endured much more.
"Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake." (Ecc 10:8 NIV) This proverb placed here has caused many to make valiant attempts to tie it to the previous contexts. First what does the proverb say? Basically that there is always a danger that your occupation while a seemingly mundane activity carries the potential for danger. How does this tie into the context. Harm can come through rulers and those in authority but harm can come to one who is simply doing his job. He doesn't need the intrusion of a foolish ruler to incur that harm. Workmen are harmed in various degrees of severity everyday from crane accidents to a cut on the hand requiring only a bandage. These are part of living life "under the sun" These mundane accidents can be much easier to take than a foolish ruler who can wreck much more damage.
The next verse presents more severe mishaps. "Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them." (Ecc 10:9 NIV) The same idea is carried on here from the previous verse, a Hebrew technique of extended comparative parallelism of thought "Accidents happen." The fitfulness of this is that if (and Solomon believes that it is) the divine providence of God is at work at all it does not necessarily provide comfort in the Topsy-turvy world under the sun.
Some have called this next verse the most enigmatic in the entire book of Ecclesiastes. "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success." (Ecc 10:10 NIV) This is perhaps one of those verses whose grammatical nuances escape us through the course of time. The connection is to the last phrase of the previous verse, that of log splitting. Splitting logs will take more work with an unsharpened ax. The wise workman will sharpen the ax in order to insure that he remains safe as he works. That may be the paradox here. One might think that sharp tools are dangerous, but in the hands of skilled workmen they are more effective. The word wisdom ends this verse in the original text, that I think is the key. One person has translated this verse "If the axe is blunt and the edge is not sharp, then he must increase his efforts. But the advantage of wisdom is success." (Longman 243)
How can this apply to those who suffer from addictive and compulsive behaviors particularly sexual addiction. We may want to battle against what we perceive as fools in charge. Can we use the steps to helps us through difficult circumstances? Can we rely upon our higher power to enable us to make wise choices. Wisdom and skill apply not only to making our way through life with those in authority but applying the skills to living in recovery. We work skillfully at maintaining sobriety and increasing in recovery. The wise workman works smarter not harder. Are you applying great effort to sobriety and recovery? Are there new ways to use the tools you have to gain greater growth with less effort. Are there new tools to obtain that will increase your skills. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if your work it and you're worth it.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 9:17-10:4
"Those whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad" (Euripides, Fragment) This may be a fitting introduction to this section. Anger and rage can bring down powerful figures, in our lives and in the world. “The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.” (Ecc 9:17 NIV). Solomon gives us the Proverb here as well. This is a paradox: Quietness overcomes the shouting. How many times have you observed those who attempt to get their way by shouting? Many times it works. Many times it is connected with anger and rage. It can get you what you want but it will be at a tremendous price—relationships.
“Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” (Ecc. 9:18 NIV) Solomon gives us another Proverb. Wisdom can be very powerful. This becomes a variation on a theme. The battle is not necessarily to the strong (9:11). Just as one person with wisdom can be powerful (9:14-15). So one person who is a sinner—one who does not follow the laws of God “under the sun.” can destroy much good. How many times have you or we seen people who through their actions destroy a great quantity of good. Governor Mark Samford is a good example. He threw away his marriage his family and his political career for his mistress. Much good was destroyed there.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. (Ecc 10:1 NIV) In our English translation this starts a new chapter but it is the continuation of the thought of 9:17-18. A short refresher on Proverbs my be in order here. Proverbs are short pithy sayings that come in riddle form that make the reader think about the parallels that the comparisons makes. The fit well into the context and structure of Ecclesiastes because the book evokes thought in the reader much like the Proverb does. The comparisons and variations on a theme in the book are like one large Proverb. Back to our Proverb at hand. Just as one sinner destroys much good. so a dead fly in perfume contaminates the perfume. The dead fly is out of place. The contamination spreads. It destroys the entire bottle. Solomon is making the comparison that things that are folly may be small but they can do great harm. Small day to day acts wisdom can be overturned or nullified by one act of folly. Enter the exhibit of the person who may appear to lead a fulfilling life. They have a spouse, family, a dignified position and career. Those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity will and everyday do risk it all in an act of insane impulsive/compulsive behavior.
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." (Ecc 10:2 NIV) The right meaning the right hand. The right hand was the place of protection (Ps. 16:8, 110:5, 121:5). The left would then be in the opposite direction. The heart was the seat of the mind and emotions. It was the thought processes of the person and the seat of all emotional reaction. Solomon is saying here that wisdom is not just rote behavior, but deep thought and the innermost motives and drives direct behavior based upon wisdom.
The proverb is then followed with an example. "Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is." (Ecc 10:3 NIV) An absurd example but given to prove a point. The fool in his behavior doing the most common of things shows everyone how foolish he is. Our modern Proverb "He doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain" may be a close parallel.
What is our behavior demonstrating to the world, to ourselves, to God? Does wisdom guide us or does a lack of wisdom create a skillful void for us as we seek to make our way through life? Does our higher power enable us to use wisdom to guide us in maintaining sobriety and aiding in recovery? Can we see the long term effects of acting out and realize that those behaviors are not consistent with a life of integrity and recovery?
Solomon presents another rather ambiguous Proverb. "If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest." (Ecc 10:4 NIV) This proverb is contrary to 8:3 which talks about the kings absolute power. Here it speaks of the ability to maintain one's composure in the face of anger. This composure will overcome the anger of those in authority over us. The errors here speak of the outcomes of errors. The sins that come from anger. Note the use of the word ruler here and in 9:17 there the ruler is a ruler of fools. The parallel continues with the wisdom and calmness.
Being able to handle oneself in the face of anger is a learned skill of a well adjusted person. To be able to maintain composure takes being able to handle emotion appropriately. anger makes us look bigger than we really are. It also prepares one for action. That emotional demonstration may look hazardous. Calmness can offset any errors in judgment, speech and action.
How do you, we, I do at handling these kind of situations. I struggle I know. I work at handling these situations wisely. In recovery we must learn to handle others anger appropriately. We may want to retaliate in anger. As this proverb says we may want to flee from it. Reacting with calmness is the way to discharge anger well. I hope this points us to handling anger or any other emotion well through out our daily lives.
We have drawn the contrast between the wise and the foolish the angry and the calm. Wisdom i.e. skillful living enables us to find our way through life and handle our emotions and the emotions of others well. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it!
“Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” (Ecc. 9:18 NIV) Solomon gives us another Proverb. Wisdom can be very powerful. This becomes a variation on a theme. The battle is not necessarily to the strong (9:11). Just as one person with wisdom can be powerful (9:14-15). So one person who is a sinner—one who does not follow the laws of God “under the sun.” can destroy much good. How many times have you or we seen people who through their actions destroy a great quantity of good. Governor Mark Samford is a good example. He threw away his marriage his family and his political career for his mistress. Much good was destroyed there.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. (Ecc 10:1 NIV) In our English translation this starts a new chapter but it is the continuation of the thought of 9:17-18. A short refresher on Proverbs my be in order here. Proverbs are short pithy sayings that come in riddle form that make the reader think about the parallels that the comparisons makes. The fit well into the context and structure of Ecclesiastes because the book evokes thought in the reader much like the Proverb does. The comparisons and variations on a theme in the book are like one large Proverb. Back to our Proverb at hand. Just as one sinner destroys much good. so a dead fly in perfume contaminates the perfume. The dead fly is out of place. The contamination spreads. It destroys the entire bottle. Solomon is making the comparison that things that are folly may be small but they can do great harm. Small day to day acts wisdom can be overturned or nullified by one act of folly. Enter the exhibit of the person who may appear to lead a fulfilling life. They have a spouse, family, a dignified position and career. Those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity will and everyday do risk it all in an act of insane impulsive/compulsive behavior.
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." (Ecc 10:2 NIV) The right meaning the right hand. The right hand was the place of protection (Ps. 16:8, 110:5, 121:5). The left would then be in the opposite direction. The heart was the seat of the mind and emotions. It was the thought processes of the person and the seat of all emotional reaction. Solomon is saying here that wisdom is not just rote behavior, but deep thought and the innermost motives and drives direct behavior based upon wisdom.
The proverb is then followed with an example. "Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is." (Ecc 10:3 NIV) An absurd example but given to prove a point. The fool in his behavior doing the most common of things shows everyone how foolish he is. Our modern Proverb "He doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain" may be a close parallel.
What is our behavior demonstrating to the world, to ourselves, to God? Does wisdom guide us or does a lack of wisdom create a skillful void for us as we seek to make our way through life? Does our higher power enable us to use wisdom to guide us in maintaining sobriety and aiding in recovery? Can we see the long term effects of acting out and realize that those behaviors are not consistent with a life of integrity and recovery?
Solomon presents another rather ambiguous Proverb. "If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest." (Ecc 10:4 NIV) This proverb is contrary to 8:3 which talks about the kings absolute power. Here it speaks of the ability to maintain one's composure in the face of anger. This composure will overcome the anger of those in authority over us. The errors here speak of the outcomes of errors. The sins that come from anger. Note the use of the word ruler here and in 9:17 there the ruler is a ruler of fools. The parallel continues with the wisdom and calmness.
Being able to handle oneself in the face of anger is a learned skill of a well adjusted person. To be able to maintain composure takes being able to handle emotion appropriately. anger makes us look bigger than we really are. It also prepares one for action. That emotional demonstration may look hazardous. Calmness can offset any errors in judgment, speech and action.
How do you, we, I do at handling these kind of situations. I struggle I know. I work at handling these situations wisely. In recovery we must learn to handle others anger appropriately. We may want to retaliate in anger. As this proverb says we may want to flee from it. Reacting with calmness is the way to discharge anger well. I hope this points us to handling anger or any other emotion well through out our daily lives.
We have drawn the contrast between the wise and the foolish the angry and the calm. Wisdom i.e. skillful living enables us to find our way through life and handle our emotions and the emotions of others well. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it!
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 9:9-16
If you have been reading this blog for awhile this will sound redundant but for those who are new to it the rationale behind this blog is to attempt to find application in the ancient biblical book of Ecclesiastes to addiction and compulsivity. More directly to those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity. While I come at life from an evangelical point of view, the at application of this book attempts to make it applicable to all faiths. The wisdom of this book is applicable to those who will accept its message. I hope you find this blog helpful.
This week we are dealing with Ecclesiastes 9:9-16. This is a continuation of Solomon's resolute gladness in experiencing life. "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun." (Ecc 9:9 NIV) This verse concludes the section from verse 7-9 that is very characteristic of Ancient Near Eastern Literature suggesting that there were shared pools of thought concerning wisdom and its applications during that time. The Hebrew word here "wife" is literally "woman." Some have taken this as a non marital relationship however his statement concerning women as snares (7:26)and the amassing of a harem (2:8)stand in stark contrast to the singular person here. The broader context of the Old Testament would seem to point to a singular woman who is the wife.
The injunction here is to enjoy your "wife" or for female readers your "husband." This is in the context of finding or doing things that are satisfying basic needs and nurturing psychologically. For sexually addictive and compulsive individuals this may appear to be some kind of a cruel joke. Their disorder or "disease" Causes them to find anything but enjoyment from a marital relationship. They are too involved in chasing the fantasy of the unreal relationship. It is significant that Solomon doesn't say that this relationship is a cure all but it is a source of enjoyment in the midst of meaninglessness. Solomon is not advocating that this relationship is toilsome labor although marriages do take work. He rather is referring to the meaninglessness and toilsomeness of life in its totality.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecc 9:10 NIV) Can we comprehend what this verse is telling us? What does the author want to move us to do? The closer context of the book points us to living life skillfully and enjoying the fruits of that life,including our marital relationships. The broader context of the book would tell us that kindness to mankind, manging money well, and recognizing our place "under the sun" would all be included. But what of the phrase "Whatever your hand finds to do" Sometimes it's not about work or career although it may be. It may be the most subtle things that are before our very eyes that we can find to do. My desk at home seems to stay in a constant state of confusion. My desk in my office stays relatively organized. Why? I think because I have to use it all the time it has to stay organized. Our lives may be a little (or a lot) like that. There may be messes or clutter in our lives that needs to be cleaned up. We may not have to notice it all the time and we may not think it affects us--but it does. What clutter needs to be cleaned up in your life today? Perhaps it is an addictive behavior that has been denied for a long time, secreted away under the clutter. Maybe you have achieved sobriety and you are moving into recovery and there are amends that need to be attended to. What is our spiritual condition like? Are there resentments against others or our higher power-God? Do we look for opportunities to share our recovery strength and hope? It is time to clean out the clutter.
We come now to one of my favorite passages in the book: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all." (Ecc 9:11 NIV) The phrase "I have seen something else under the sun," tells us that we are looking at a new turn of events. The subject has now turned from death the great leveler of all and the enjoyment of life for whit it is to how does that life play out? What does it take to make the "cards" fall your way? Solomon says that time and chance happen to them all. We cannot know the future. The way things are "supposed" to happen doesn't always happen. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race. The strongest don't always win the battle, for example the Greco-Persian wars. The wise don't always have food, brilliance doesn't always translate in to wealth, for example some of the most intelligent people I know labor in careers that will never make them hugely wealthy but they chose those careers for self satisfaction and an impetus that God wants them to be in a certain profession. Favor doesn't always come to the learned. We will see in the upcoming verses Solomon's example of this.
This passage was comforting to me and I made my way through life to understand that Solomon knew even before I experienced these things in my life that they were true. I was smart, intelligent, wise, insightful but it hadn't translated into anything for me. I did not feel fulfilled. Step 1-3 in any twelve step program talk about turning our lives over to the care of God. First for the restoration of sanity and then committing out lives to His care. These enigmas drop away. Rather than a pointed spike in the side they become comforting revelations of life as it is.
Solomon now gives an example of "time and chance" "Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them." (Ecc 9:12 NIV) Random acts seemingly meaningless happen to us all. Archibald Hart, professor emeritus at Fuller Seminary tells the story of how he discovered quite by a random scan that he has high level of plaque in his arteries. Conversely his good friend Louis Smedes a teaching colleague at Fuller Seminary. Falls just a short way from a ladder onto his driveway and dies. Dr. Hart relates that he ends up in the same hospital as his friend and actually in the same bed. He lives and his friend dies. a seemingly cruel twist of fate. These kinds of stories can be recounted many times over. What is the author's point here? Unlike earlier i.e. 7:26 the author is not talking about being caught and held and perhaps deserving it. i.e. divine retribution. Nor is he talking about the conversion of divine retribution the righteous getting what the evil person deserves and the wicked getting what the righteous deserve. But this speaks of those who have done nothing to deserve entanglement and simply are caught up in the ramifications of a sinful world. poverty, bribery, hunger, emotional pain, abusive control. Those who suffer from addiction will many times find themselves in these kinds of situations. They are not exempt. The recovery key here is to sort out whether you bear any responsibility and make amends quickly. If not extract yourself as quickly as possible as wisely as possible from the net or snare you find yourself entangle in. These are the times when people who suffer from addictions may want to get angry at the world because it's not fair and act out. Realize that we live in a fallen sinful imperfect world in which we must live life skillfully.
Solomon goes on to give another example of this proverb: "I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded." (Ecc 9:13-16 NIV) This story is extensive and we will cover 4 verses of the chapter but I think it is helpful to see the illustration as a whole. The story is of a poor but wise man, which already flies in the face of contemporary thinking and I think ancient mentality as well--if he is wise why is he not rich? This sets up the illustration from the proverb laid out i.e. wealth doesn't not necessarily come to the brilliant. The small city is besieged by a powerful king. Through his wisdom the wise man saves the city. This again proves the point that the battle is not always to the strong. The powerful king was thwarted. However the wise poor man was forgotten. Archimedes the ancient Greek mathematician comes to mind here. The story is told of how he used the rays of the sun to torch enemy ships but died at the hands of a Roman soldier. The story appears to be fallacious but the example of a wise man not being honored for his learning certainly fits. The point Solomon is trying to make is that the effects of wisdom are short lived. When the crisis is over everyone forgets about the man with the wisdom.
Has this ever happened to you? You may have solved a problem, fixed what was broken, helped a friend only your wisdom was forgotten soon after? Wisdom has its limits. Success makes a short memory of pain. We want to be remembered for the "wise" things that we do but are usually long remembered for the pain we inflict. When we are not remembered for our wisdom, it sets up a potential situation for resentment to develop. Resentment will usually trigger acting out behaviors unless we can find another way to deal with the emotions. Today we must all ask our higher power to help us with wise actions in the face of others short term memories.
This section brings us back to the realization that human abilities and pursuits only have a finite and limited effect. Once again we must look to the one who created us, Our higher power for meaning in a meaningless world. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
This week we are dealing with Ecclesiastes 9:9-16. This is a continuation of Solomon's resolute gladness in experiencing life. "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun." (Ecc 9:9 NIV) This verse concludes the section from verse 7-9 that is very characteristic of Ancient Near Eastern Literature suggesting that there were shared pools of thought concerning wisdom and its applications during that time. The Hebrew word here "wife" is literally "woman." Some have taken this as a non marital relationship however his statement concerning women as snares (7:26)and the amassing of a harem (2:8)stand in stark contrast to the singular person here. The broader context of the Old Testament would seem to point to a singular woman who is the wife.
The injunction here is to enjoy your "wife" or for female readers your "husband." This is in the context of finding or doing things that are satisfying basic needs and nurturing psychologically. For sexually addictive and compulsive individuals this may appear to be some kind of a cruel joke. Their disorder or "disease" Causes them to find anything but enjoyment from a marital relationship. They are too involved in chasing the fantasy of the unreal relationship. It is significant that Solomon doesn't say that this relationship is a cure all but it is a source of enjoyment in the midst of meaninglessness. Solomon is not advocating that this relationship is toilsome labor although marriages do take work. He rather is referring to the meaninglessness and toilsomeness of life in its totality.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecc 9:10 NIV) Can we comprehend what this verse is telling us? What does the author want to move us to do? The closer context of the book points us to living life skillfully and enjoying the fruits of that life,including our marital relationships. The broader context of the book would tell us that kindness to mankind, manging money well, and recognizing our place "under the sun" would all be included. But what of the phrase "Whatever your hand finds to do" Sometimes it's not about work or career although it may be. It may be the most subtle things that are before our very eyes that we can find to do. My desk at home seems to stay in a constant state of confusion. My desk in my office stays relatively organized. Why? I think because I have to use it all the time it has to stay organized. Our lives may be a little (or a lot) like that. There may be messes or clutter in our lives that needs to be cleaned up. We may not have to notice it all the time and we may not think it affects us--but it does. What clutter needs to be cleaned up in your life today? Perhaps it is an addictive behavior that has been denied for a long time, secreted away under the clutter. Maybe you have achieved sobriety and you are moving into recovery and there are amends that need to be attended to. What is our spiritual condition like? Are there resentments against others or our higher power-God? Do we look for opportunities to share our recovery strength and hope? It is time to clean out the clutter.
We come now to one of my favorite passages in the book: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all." (Ecc 9:11 NIV) The phrase "I have seen something else under the sun," tells us that we are looking at a new turn of events. The subject has now turned from death the great leveler of all and the enjoyment of life for whit it is to how does that life play out? What does it take to make the "cards" fall your way? Solomon says that time and chance happen to them all. We cannot know the future. The way things are "supposed" to happen doesn't always happen. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race. The strongest don't always win the battle, for example the Greco-Persian wars. The wise don't always have food, brilliance doesn't always translate in to wealth, for example some of the most intelligent people I know labor in careers that will never make them hugely wealthy but they chose those careers for self satisfaction and an impetus that God wants them to be in a certain profession. Favor doesn't always come to the learned. We will see in the upcoming verses Solomon's example of this.
This passage was comforting to me and I made my way through life to understand that Solomon knew even before I experienced these things in my life that they were true. I was smart, intelligent, wise, insightful but it hadn't translated into anything for me. I did not feel fulfilled. Step 1-3 in any twelve step program talk about turning our lives over to the care of God. First for the restoration of sanity and then committing out lives to His care. These enigmas drop away. Rather than a pointed spike in the side they become comforting revelations of life as it is.
Solomon now gives an example of "time and chance" "Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them." (Ecc 9:12 NIV) Random acts seemingly meaningless happen to us all. Archibald Hart, professor emeritus at Fuller Seminary tells the story of how he discovered quite by a random scan that he has high level of plaque in his arteries. Conversely his good friend Louis Smedes a teaching colleague at Fuller Seminary. Falls just a short way from a ladder onto his driveway and dies. Dr. Hart relates that he ends up in the same hospital as his friend and actually in the same bed. He lives and his friend dies. a seemingly cruel twist of fate. These kinds of stories can be recounted many times over. What is the author's point here? Unlike earlier i.e. 7:26 the author is not talking about being caught and held and perhaps deserving it. i.e. divine retribution. Nor is he talking about the conversion of divine retribution the righteous getting what the evil person deserves and the wicked getting what the righteous deserve. But this speaks of those who have done nothing to deserve entanglement and simply are caught up in the ramifications of a sinful world. poverty, bribery, hunger, emotional pain, abusive control. Those who suffer from addiction will many times find themselves in these kinds of situations. They are not exempt. The recovery key here is to sort out whether you bear any responsibility and make amends quickly. If not extract yourself as quickly as possible as wisely as possible from the net or snare you find yourself entangle in. These are the times when people who suffer from addictions may want to get angry at the world because it's not fair and act out. Realize that we live in a fallen sinful imperfect world in which we must live life skillfully.
Solomon goes on to give another example of this proverb: "I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded." (Ecc 9:13-16 NIV) This story is extensive and we will cover 4 verses of the chapter but I think it is helpful to see the illustration as a whole. The story is of a poor but wise man, which already flies in the face of contemporary thinking and I think ancient mentality as well--if he is wise why is he not rich? This sets up the illustration from the proverb laid out i.e. wealth doesn't not necessarily come to the brilliant. The small city is besieged by a powerful king. Through his wisdom the wise man saves the city. This again proves the point that the battle is not always to the strong. The powerful king was thwarted. However the wise poor man was forgotten. Archimedes the ancient Greek mathematician comes to mind here. The story is told of how he used the rays of the sun to torch enemy ships but died at the hands of a Roman soldier. The story appears to be fallacious but the example of a wise man not being honored for his learning certainly fits. The point Solomon is trying to make is that the effects of wisdom are short lived. When the crisis is over everyone forgets about the man with the wisdom.
Has this ever happened to you? You may have solved a problem, fixed what was broken, helped a friend only your wisdom was forgotten soon after? Wisdom has its limits. Success makes a short memory of pain. We want to be remembered for the "wise" things that we do but are usually long remembered for the pain we inflict. When we are not remembered for our wisdom, it sets up a potential situation for resentment to develop. Resentment will usually trigger acting out behaviors unless we can find another way to deal with the emotions. Today we must all ask our higher power to help us with wise actions in the face of others short term memories.
This section brings us back to the realization that human abilities and pursuits only have a finite and limited effect. Once again we must look to the one who created us, Our higher power for meaning in a meaningless world. Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 9:3-8
This section is Solomon's climactic point in this discussion of the great leveler--death. Surely death is evil but the irony is that mankind is also evil. As the little cartoon character Pogo said "We have met the enemy and he is us." Verse 9:3 states: "This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead." (Ecc 9:3 NIV) It is not just that this evil happens to all. But that this evil is in man (Genesis 6:5). Man according to the Bible was separated from God when he sinned against God (Genesis 3:5-24, 4:1-8). Mankind as it turns out are not only headed toward a common destiny but also share a common malady: the proclivity of hurrying ourselves and others toward that destination. Since death awaits all, the view of life "under the sun" is to do whatever; knowing that ultimately we die anyway. It should not escape our notice that Solomon has just laid out three different types of evil persons beginning in chapter 8:9 ff. The controlling person, the hypocritical person and the indulgent person. All will be traits of addictive and compulsive personalities. Those who know the scourge of addiction and compulsivity understand full well Solomon's wise words here. There are times when we all feel like we are hurtling towards oblivion. Let us take time today to Stop: Accept the moment where we are as perfect for this time. Live in a recovery state of mind right now and make wise choices for the next moment.
Chapter 9:4 presents a proverb, a gem of wisdom, to help cut the edge of the reality of death "Anyone who is among the living has hope--even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!" (Ecc 9:4 NIV) Dogs held an ignoble station in Israelite life. They were seen as scroungers and scavengers. The lion was honored for it's power and regal stature. But the author is saying no matter how you are perceived it does you no good dead. In fact if you have a lowly station in life and may not be well received by those of society you are better off than being dead. The author also talks here about hope. What kind of hope? It is my opinion that it is the hope that you will take his words to heart and live out your days wisely in meaningful activity enjoying your work and family. You may not know what life has for you today. The adage applies "At least I have my health." Some reading this will understand the proverb of being a live dog. You may have never held high stations in life but you are alive. Alive to read this and hopefully able to be in grateful recovery. You may be alone, isolated at this time, through your choosing or someone else's. Be grateful to be alive to either begin or continue on the journey of recovery.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 states: "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten." (Ecc 9:5 NIV) This is prima facie statement that does not need further elucidation. But perhaps as with all wisdom literature the worth of the statement is in the reflection. The living know that they will experience what the dead already have--death. In the context verse 4 talks of hope. Hope may be intertwined with the reward in this verse. Solomon is trying to find some advantage for the living as he views this predicament "under the sun." Reward here does not speak of future rewards but the present life. Interestingly the memory of them is forgotten hearkening back to 8:9-10: "All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (Ecc 8:9-10 NIV). Even if the experiencing of life is death at least you still have awareness that you are alive. This is better than being dead. Yes it is and each of us must take that universal truth to heart today. We can experience much more than death if we will simply live in the light of this book. Enjoy the life and the family and the work that God has given you. I would ask those reading this: what is one thing that you can do intentionally today that will move you towards experiencing life if not to its fullest then to its reality for you?
The next verse continues this previous thought: "Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun." (Ecc 9:6 NIV) This verse is not a contradiction to previous statements by the author i.e. 4:2-3. This verse is talking about the finality of death. After death a person no longer has the opportunity to love or hate, They no longer have anything to do with life. For some who read this you may be applauding the death of perpetrators, violators, or persecutors. You may have endured tremendous suffering. I'm truly sorry that those things happened to you. If the wicked have died there is a finality to it. They are no longer here. The memories are though. The wicked that you know may have not died yet. They will. Their just reward will follow them. Death is the great leveler.
This verse seems a stark contradiction: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do."(Ecc 9:7NIV) In light of the unpredictabilities that Solomon has laid out before us He encourages the reader to enjoy life in the midst of uncertainties. These are life events that cannot be controlled--even with your best efforts--they cannot be controlled. Anxiety usually has to do with thinking about feelings and attempting to control your environment in order to avoid those feelings. Solomon is saying life is more than you can control, but not more than you can handle. Do not be overwhelmed by the positive and negative things that happen in life. Enjoy life as it comes to you. Enjoy each and every minute of life. Solomon elaborates here what to enjoy: food, wine, life's necessities and life's luxuries. Dean Koontz says: "Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly stilled in astonishment. (Dean Koontz, "Watchers"). He says it better than I can. Solomon slips in here one of those statements that is easy to slide over. Those who face the unpredictabilities of life may have a tendency to think that all their efforts are for naught. Solomon says no: God has seen all your efforts to live the way of wisdom and he favors what you do. There is in the midst of meaningless under the sun a satisfaction that God favors our lives.
Verse 8 is a continuation of thought from verse 7: "Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. (Ecc 9:8 NIV) White can have a multiplicity of meanings, here is signifies joy. Oil helps to protect the skin from the hot dry climate of Palestine. Also the white clothes would protect by reflecting rather than absorbing heat from the sun's rays.
In conclusion, If God is in favor of what you do (read this within the Parameters of the Covenant made between God and his people). Then lay aside the unpredictability of the future and the pain of the past and live life as fully in reality today as possible, embracing reality as fully and powerfully as you embraced addictive and compulsive behaviors powerlessly in the past. Our time is up for today so until next week "Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it."
Chapter 9:4 presents a proverb, a gem of wisdom, to help cut the edge of the reality of death "Anyone who is among the living has hope--even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!" (Ecc 9:4 NIV) Dogs held an ignoble station in Israelite life. They were seen as scroungers and scavengers. The lion was honored for it's power and regal stature. But the author is saying no matter how you are perceived it does you no good dead. In fact if you have a lowly station in life and may not be well received by those of society you are better off than being dead. The author also talks here about hope. What kind of hope? It is my opinion that it is the hope that you will take his words to heart and live out your days wisely in meaningful activity enjoying your work and family. You may not know what life has for you today. The adage applies "At least I have my health." Some reading this will understand the proverb of being a live dog. You may have never held high stations in life but you are alive. Alive to read this and hopefully able to be in grateful recovery. You may be alone, isolated at this time, through your choosing or someone else's. Be grateful to be alive to either begin or continue on the journey of recovery.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 states: "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten." (Ecc 9:5 NIV) This is prima facie statement that does not need further elucidation. But perhaps as with all wisdom literature the worth of the statement is in the reflection. The living know that they will experience what the dead already have--death. In the context verse 4 talks of hope. Hope may be intertwined with the reward in this verse. Solomon is trying to find some advantage for the living as he views this predicament "under the sun." Reward here does not speak of future rewards but the present life. Interestingly the memory of them is forgotten hearkening back to 8:9-10: "All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (Ecc 8:9-10 NIV). Even if the experiencing of life is death at least you still have awareness that you are alive. This is better than being dead. Yes it is and each of us must take that universal truth to heart today. We can experience much more than death if we will simply live in the light of this book. Enjoy the life and the family and the work that God has given you. I would ask those reading this: what is one thing that you can do intentionally today that will move you towards experiencing life if not to its fullest then to its reality for you?
The next verse continues this previous thought: "Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun." (Ecc 9:6 NIV) This verse is not a contradiction to previous statements by the author i.e. 4:2-3. This verse is talking about the finality of death. After death a person no longer has the opportunity to love or hate, They no longer have anything to do with life. For some who read this you may be applauding the death of perpetrators, violators, or persecutors. You may have endured tremendous suffering. I'm truly sorry that those things happened to you. If the wicked have died there is a finality to it. They are no longer here. The memories are though. The wicked that you know may have not died yet. They will. Their just reward will follow them. Death is the great leveler.
This verse seems a stark contradiction: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do."(Ecc 9:7NIV) In light of the unpredictabilities that Solomon has laid out before us He encourages the reader to enjoy life in the midst of uncertainties. These are life events that cannot be controlled--even with your best efforts--they cannot be controlled. Anxiety usually has to do with thinking about feelings and attempting to control your environment in order to avoid those feelings. Solomon is saying life is more than you can control, but not more than you can handle. Do not be overwhelmed by the positive and negative things that happen in life. Enjoy life as it comes to you. Enjoy each and every minute of life. Solomon elaborates here what to enjoy: food, wine, life's necessities and life's luxuries. Dean Koontz says: "Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly stilled in astonishment. (Dean Koontz, "Watchers"). He says it better than I can. Solomon slips in here one of those statements that is easy to slide over. Those who face the unpredictabilities of life may have a tendency to think that all their efforts are for naught. Solomon says no: God has seen all your efforts to live the way of wisdom and he favors what you do. There is in the midst of meaningless under the sun a satisfaction that God favors our lives.
Verse 8 is a continuation of thought from verse 7: "Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. (Ecc 9:8 NIV) White can have a multiplicity of meanings, here is signifies joy. Oil helps to protect the skin from the hot dry climate of Palestine. Also the white clothes would protect by reflecting rather than absorbing heat from the sun's rays.
In conclusion, If God is in favor of what you do (read this within the Parameters of the Covenant made between God and his people). Then lay aside the unpredictability of the future and the pain of the past and live life as fully in reality today as possible, embracing reality as fully and powerfully as you embraced addictive and compulsive behaviors powerlessly in the past. Our time is up for today so until next week "Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it."
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Solomon Project: Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:2
This blog is for people who suffer from addictive and compulsive behaviors. Sexual addiction in particular but hopefully anyone who struggles with any addictive and compulsive behavior can benefit from it. It is based on the Old Testament book of the Bible entitled Ecclesiastes. I come at the book from an evangelical point of view but the blog is hopefully written so that it can be applied to all faith. It is understood that you may come to this blog not even believing in God. I pray that somehow you are able to acknowledge a higher power that can restore all of us to sanity.
Last week we talked about the uncertainty of divine retribution upon the wicked. and the fact that "experience" (i.e "I have seen or observed") tells us that the wicked may appear to be praiseworthy in their public life. Their religious adherence does not permeate their inner lives.
This week we turn to Ecclesiastes 8:14: "There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless." (Ecc 8:14 NIV) The unpredictability of life is seen also in the observation that the righteous get the calamities that should befall the wicked and the wicked have the blessings that should befall the righteous bestowed upon them. Solomon says this is "meaningless" It escapes comprehension. As in the contrasting parallelism seen in the earlier verses which lay the contrasting thoughts side by side the writer does not attempt to explain away or rectify this theological conundrum but leaves the tension there for the reader to experience.
In Ecclesiastes 8:15 Solomon begins his concluding thought, a variation of earlier summaries (see 3:13,5:19): "So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun." (Ecc 8:15 NIV) The author is not bitterly resigning himself to this rather he is following God's command in Deuteronomy 8 to humbled himself recognize God's goodness and enjoy the bounties of the land God has given him. In the face of uncertainty men and women should enjoy each day God gives them, knowing that they may encounter tragedy. It is hard to live in the present moment. We are always planning the future, perhaps avoiding the past. The use of this moment to experience our life in the environment we are in right now is the wisest thing we can do for ourselves.
In verses 16 and 17 Solomon continues his concluding remarks concerning this section. He says in verse 16: " When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth--his eyes not seeing sleep day or night--" (Ecc 8:16 NIV) The writer has already talked about this in 1:13 and 2:12. He is devoted to pursuing wisdom. He observes the labor of men on earth. He as king had an opportunity to "see" and manage the labor of many peoples across his vast kingdom. He uses a unique metaphor here, and it is only used here in the Old Testament. How does one see sleep? You will never sleep with your eyes open, everseeing. Some interpret this as the idea that men (mankind) labors so intensively that they never sleep or sleep well. That probably gathers the sense of the phrase. The author may include himself here. He is set about "seeing" observing man's ways in an attempt to see what God has done. But just as in all wisdom literature the writer has made us "feel" the labor, the elusiveness of life just by having to entertain such a figure of speech.
Verse 17 continues the thought: "then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it." (Ecc 8:17 NET) Solomon probably speaks in hyperbole here. He is finite. He has not seen every event from the beginning of creation. Through history and the gathering of facts he has learned and attempted to sift from those facts what God has done. He concludes that the act is futile. None can grasp what God does. This verse equates the action of God with the activity "that is carried on under the sun." This is crucial in the book because of Solomon's quest. It is as if we can observe God's ways from afar but do not have intimate knowledge of what will transpire next. It is important to note here that even if someone tells you they know what God is doing---they do not.
We move now to chapter 9. Verse 1 states: "So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him." (Ecc 9:1 NIV) In verse 8:16 he applied his mind now in 9:1 he reflects "on all of this." This perhaps going as far back as 6:9-10. He has been dealing with the limitations of human wisdom and the inscrutability of wisdom knowledge and righteousness to insure a long and meaningful life here "under the sun." A strong statement follows: what the righteous and the wise do are in God's hands. No man knows whether love or hate awaits. Ultimately they don't know what will happen. His seeking has brought him to the understanding that their is uncertainty for those who live skillfully. The existential (living for the moment) impact of this statement is lost on many people today. These types of verses make me attempt to live in the moment every day. Savoring each experience with all the fervor I can muster at any given time. This helps me to live life fully. Not forgetting to plan for tomorrow. Not regretting yesterday but giving myself freedom to live powerfully in each moment because I don't know whether God, my higher power, will have planned love or hate for me. I want to live in the moment whatever that may be.
9:2 broadens the concept of the inscrutability of God's ways: "All share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them."(Ecc 9:2 NIV) Compare 2:15, 5:4-5, 8:8 for some of these concepts. The great leveler is death, from those who do the most good for the world i.e. Mother Theresa to those who produce extreme pain and sorrow i.e Adolf Hitler. We may think that we are immortal that we will escape death--we've done it so far. But we don't escape. Death ultimately comes. It does not matter if you have been righteous, good, clean, religious both inwardly and outwardly or if you have been wicked, bad, unclean, denied religious observances, a sinner, or refused to take promises to God seriously--ultimately we will all eventually die. This is the sobering fact that keeps us living in the here and now.
The applications? It is better to live life wisely following God's commands. There is no guarentee that bad things that "should" happen to the evil person won't happen to us, but as a general princiople wise living brings happiness and joy in life. I am moved by the existential approach here also. Living one day, each day as if it were to be your last. Has step three taken place in your life? "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him" Then we rest in the fact that our lives are in his hands. Are you struggling to establish sobriety? Do not look at thirty days sixty days, 90 days, or a year. Those come one moment at a time. We all live each moment in sobriety. Are you moving into recovery. Live today wisely asking yourself what is one thing today that I can do to be more positive in recovery. I have an amends letter to write today. That is one thing I will do to move my recovery forward in a positive way to day.
To those who read this and have not yet entered into the process we simply ask that you join our fellowship-the fellowship Recovery. It is possible that out of control and dangerous behaviors do not have to continue their destructive ways in your life. Accept of gift of sobriety.
Our time is up for today so until next time keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
Last week we talked about the uncertainty of divine retribution upon the wicked. and the fact that "experience" (i.e "I have seen or observed") tells us that the wicked may appear to be praiseworthy in their public life. Their religious adherence does not permeate their inner lives.
This week we turn to Ecclesiastes 8:14: "There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless." (Ecc 8:14 NIV) The unpredictability of life is seen also in the observation that the righteous get the calamities that should befall the wicked and the wicked have the blessings that should befall the righteous bestowed upon them. Solomon says this is "meaningless" It escapes comprehension. As in the contrasting parallelism seen in the earlier verses which lay the contrasting thoughts side by side the writer does not attempt to explain away or rectify this theological conundrum but leaves the tension there for the reader to experience.
In Ecclesiastes 8:15 Solomon begins his concluding thought, a variation of earlier summaries (see 3:13,5:19): "So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun." (Ecc 8:15 NIV) The author is not bitterly resigning himself to this rather he is following God's command in Deuteronomy 8 to humbled himself recognize God's goodness and enjoy the bounties of the land God has given him. In the face of uncertainty men and women should enjoy each day God gives them, knowing that they may encounter tragedy. It is hard to live in the present moment. We are always planning the future, perhaps avoiding the past. The use of this moment to experience our life in the environment we are in right now is the wisest thing we can do for ourselves.
In verses 16 and 17 Solomon continues his concluding remarks concerning this section. He says in verse 16: " When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth--his eyes not seeing sleep day or night--" (Ecc 8:16 NIV) The writer has already talked about this in 1:13 and 2:12. He is devoted to pursuing wisdom. He observes the labor of men on earth. He as king had an opportunity to "see" and manage the labor of many peoples across his vast kingdom. He uses a unique metaphor here, and it is only used here in the Old Testament. How does one see sleep? You will never sleep with your eyes open, everseeing. Some interpret this as the idea that men (mankind) labors so intensively that they never sleep or sleep well. That probably gathers the sense of the phrase. The author may include himself here. He is set about "seeing" observing man's ways in an attempt to see what God has done. But just as in all wisdom literature the writer has made us "feel" the labor, the elusiveness of life just by having to entertain such a figure of speech.
Verse 17 continues the thought: "then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it." (Ecc 8:17 NET) Solomon probably speaks in hyperbole here. He is finite. He has not seen every event from the beginning of creation. Through history and the gathering of facts he has learned and attempted to sift from those facts what God has done. He concludes that the act is futile. None can grasp what God does. This verse equates the action of God with the activity "that is carried on under the sun." This is crucial in the book because of Solomon's quest. It is as if we can observe God's ways from afar but do not have intimate knowledge of what will transpire next. It is important to note here that even if someone tells you they know what God is doing---they do not.
We move now to chapter 9. Verse 1 states: "So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him." (Ecc 9:1 NIV) In verse 8:16 he applied his mind now in 9:1 he reflects "on all of this." This perhaps going as far back as 6:9-10. He has been dealing with the limitations of human wisdom and the inscrutability of wisdom knowledge and righteousness to insure a long and meaningful life here "under the sun." A strong statement follows: what the righteous and the wise do are in God's hands. No man knows whether love or hate awaits. Ultimately they don't know what will happen. His seeking has brought him to the understanding that their is uncertainty for those who live skillfully. The existential (living for the moment) impact of this statement is lost on many people today. These types of verses make me attempt to live in the moment every day. Savoring each experience with all the fervor I can muster at any given time. This helps me to live life fully. Not forgetting to plan for tomorrow. Not regretting yesterday but giving myself freedom to live powerfully in each moment because I don't know whether God, my higher power, will have planned love or hate for me. I want to live in the moment whatever that may be.
9:2 broadens the concept of the inscrutability of God's ways: "All share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them."(Ecc 9:2 NIV) Compare 2:15, 5:4-5, 8:8 for some of these concepts. The great leveler is death, from those who do the most good for the world i.e. Mother Theresa to those who produce extreme pain and sorrow i.e Adolf Hitler. We may think that we are immortal that we will escape death--we've done it so far. But we don't escape. Death ultimately comes. It does not matter if you have been righteous, good, clean, religious both inwardly and outwardly or if you have been wicked, bad, unclean, denied religious observances, a sinner, or refused to take promises to God seriously--ultimately we will all eventually die. This is the sobering fact that keeps us living in the here and now.
The applications? It is better to live life wisely following God's commands. There is no guarentee that bad things that "should" happen to the evil person won't happen to us, but as a general princiople wise living brings happiness and joy in life. I am moved by the existential approach here also. Living one day, each day as if it were to be your last. Has step three taken place in your life? "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him" Then we rest in the fact that our lives are in his hands. Are you struggling to establish sobriety? Do not look at thirty days sixty days, 90 days, or a year. Those come one moment at a time. We all live each moment in sobriety. Are you moving into recovery. Live today wisely asking yourself what is one thing today that I can do to be more positive in recovery. I have an amends letter to write today. That is one thing I will do to move my recovery forward in a positive way to day.
To those who read this and have not yet entered into the process we simply ask that you join our fellowship-the fellowship Recovery. It is possible that out of control and dangerous behaviors do not have to continue their destructive ways in your life. Accept of gift of sobriety.
Our time is up for today so until next time keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 8:6-13
This is a blog based upon the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes for addictive and compulsive people. This blog is intented to reach a wide variety of individuals from all faiths. It has been six weeks since I have blogged. The hiatus began with the move of our daughter to college and into a single dwelling home which took a Herculean effort. Also the teaching schedule as an adjunct professor teaching two new classes took more time than I thought it would. I think that this only serves to point out how significant the impact can be of changes that enter our lives.
We will be picking up at Ecclesiastes 8:6. "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him." (Ecc 8:6 NIV)This recalls Ecc 3:1 which enumerates the all-encompassing times and places for things. The caveat is that man's misery weighs heavily upon him.
Ecclesiastes 8:7 continues this thought. "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?" (Ecc 8:7 NIV)Even though there is a time and place. It weighs heavily on men, not because of what will happen but the fact that one one knows when. We cannot predict the future.
Ecclesiastes 8:8 states: " No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it." (Ecc 8:8 NIV)These consequences are inescapable and inevitable. and just as one is bound to military service so is one bound by wickedness. Thought provoking--right.
Ecclesiastes 8:9 brings home what Solomon is thinking: "All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt." (Ecc 8:9 NIV) A more appropriate translation is "to their hurt." One would expect that lording it over others would result in prosperity and further control. In reality it doesn't work that way. Even rulers that rule well are beneficent. As men do not know the times so men do not always know what is best for others either.
Ecclesiastes 8:10 says: "Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (Ecc 8:10 NIV) This does not refer to the inevitability of death which is in Solomon's thought (see v. 8). It refers to the fact that their life is not cut short in retribution for wickedness. They may be praised for an outward adherence to some form of religion but their wickedness belies their true spirit. Solomon adds a familiar and summarizing phrase "This to is meaningless." It is beyond comprehension.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 continues the thought on the enigma of divine retribution: "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong." (Ecc 8:11 NIV) All of us should take this verse to heart. From the federal government all the way down to our homes. Solomon is thinking of this in terms of the wicked and retribution. Human government and the power and control of it should not be set upon the wrong objects the wise and those who fear God but this power and control should be focused on carrying out God's will and punishing the wicked. The Old Testament and Proverbs in particular is filled with examples of those do not exercise judgment correctly sometimes as a result of bribery.
Ecclesiastes 8:12 balances the thought of wickedness: "Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God." (Ecc 8:12 NIV) Solomon's observations ("all this I saw..." v. 9) led him to the conclusion that while the wicked may live long they do not live well. Life just goes better when you live according to God's commands. Those who commit their lives to yielding to a higher power find that life goes better for them.
Ecclesiastes 8:13 states: "Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow." (Ecc 8:13 NIV) This is the contrasting statement to verse 12. The wicked do not fear God. As a general rule things do not go well with the wicked. They may be praised in their cities, town or villages but they will not have long life. Solomon does not resolve this enigma or apparent contradiction of life "Under the sun" but leaves the tension intact.
As we end some applications are necessary. Where do we find ourselves in this passage. are we characterized by wickedness or the god-fearing? Are we characterized by over-controlling behavior that harms others, gambling that we won't experience divine retribution. Are we hypocritical? Outwardly showing others that we are interested in obeying God's commands but inwardly only using the actions to get what we want--manipulation and control.
Are we committed to recovery? Allowing the realities of the miracle of sobriety to permeate our inner lives to such an extent that we live outwardly what has truly happened inside. The promise is that life will go well with us.
We will be picking up at Ecclesiastes 8:6. "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him." (Ecc 8:6 NIV)This recalls Ecc 3:1 which enumerates the all-encompassing times and places for things. The caveat is that man's misery weighs heavily upon him.
Ecclesiastes 8:7 continues this thought. "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?" (Ecc 8:7 NIV)Even though there is a time and place. It weighs heavily on men, not because of what will happen but the fact that one one knows when. We cannot predict the future.
Ecclesiastes 8:8 states: " No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it." (Ecc 8:8 NIV)These consequences are inescapable and inevitable. and just as one is bound to military service so is one bound by wickedness. Thought provoking--right.
Ecclesiastes 8:9 brings home what Solomon is thinking: "All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt." (Ecc 8:9 NIV) A more appropriate translation is "to their hurt." One would expect that lording it over others would result in prosperity and further control. In reality it doesn't work that way. Even rulers that rule well are beneficent. As men do not know the times so men do not always know what is best for others either.
Ecclesiastes 8:10 says: "Then too, I saw the wicked buried--those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (Ecc 8:10 NIV) This does not refer to the inevitability of death which is in Solomon's thought (see v. 8). It refers to the fact that their life is not cut short in retribution for wickedness. They may be praised for an outward adherence to some form of religion but their wickedness belies their true spirit. Solomon adds a familiar and summarizing phrase "This to is meaningless." It is beyond comprehension.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 continues the thought on the enigma of divine retribution: "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong." (Ecc 8:11 NIV) All of us should take this verse to heart. From the federal government all the way down to our homes. Solomon is thinking of this in terms of the wicked and retribution. Human government and the power and control of it should not be set upon the wrong objects the wise and those who fear God but this power and control should be focused on carrying out God's will and punishing the wicked. The Old Testament and Proverbs in particular is filled with examples of those do not exercise judgment correctly sometimes as a result of bribery.
Ecclesiastes 8:12 balances the thought of wickedness: "Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God." (Ecc 8:12 NIV) Solomon's observations ("all this I saw..." v. 9) led him to the conclusion that while the wicked may live long they do not live well. Life just goes better when you live according to God's commands. Those who commit their lives to yielding to a higher power find that life goes better for them.
Ecclesiastes 8:13 states: "Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow." (Ecc 8:13 NIV) This is the contrasting statement to verse 12. The wicked do not fear God. As a general rule things do not go well with the wicked. They may be praised in their cities, town or villages but they will not have long life. Solomon does not resolve this enigma or apparent contradiction of life "Under the sun" but leaves the tension intact.
As we end some applications are necessary. Where do we find ourselves in this passage. are we characterized by wickedness or the god-fearing? Are we characterized by over-controlling behavior that harms others, gambling that we won't experience divine retribution. Are we hypocritical? Outwardly showing others that we are interested in obeying God's commands but inwardly only using the actions to get what we want--manipulation and control.
Are we committed to recovery? Allowing the realities of the miracle of sobriety to permeate our inner lives to such an extent that we live outwardly what has truly happened inside. The promise is that life will go well with us.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Solomon Project: Ecclesiastes 8:1-4
For the rationale for this blog please see previous blogs. We begin today in chapter 8. While this chapter begins a new theme the author is still discussing wisdom. This chapter presents a contrast to the end of chapter 7. chapter 8 gives an example of how wisdom can save a man from the king's wrath. This is a contrast to the last section in that Solomon lamented the fact that a wise person could not be found. Once again he tempers his cynicism with positive examples.
Verse 1 says: "Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance." (Eccle 8:1 NIV) This sets up the following example of how wisdom can help avert the wrath of rulers. This is a central proverb to the section. Solomon uses a picturesque metaphor to convey the feeling of wisdom. Wisdom can take the rough edges of knowledge off the intellect.
Verse 2 states: "Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God." (Eccle 8:2 NIV) There are certain persons ordained by God to have authority. They may be quite good at it or not. The history of Israel's kings shows us that.
Verse 3 continues: "Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases." (Eccle 8:3NIV) Attempting to escape the king's unilateral decisions prematurely may not be wise. By the same token allying oneself with a cause ill thought of by the king will be disastrous. The wise man will know how to conduct himself in these precarious circumstances. The thought here is not that the king will do what he pleases but that he can--because he has the authority. The wise man in this example is taking part in human justice and legislation "under the sun"
Verse 4 states: "Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, "What are you doing?" (Eccle 8:4 NIV) The rhetorical question demands the answer no one and nothing. To do otherwise would be disastrous.
Applications to the addictive and compulsive person? Dealing with resentments are a significant part of recovery. Sometimes as addicts we want to have the last word. This becomes disatrous in the face of legal authorities and leaders and managers in the workplace. Sometimes as addicts and compulsive people we become so fixated on our point of view we lose sight of the fact that we may win some suppoosed battle but lose the war. Anger becomes a major piece of the addicts thinking in these encounters. The wise person learns how to temper himself and see reality as it really is. There is someone in greater power than himself. As people in recovery we continue to treat authority with respect. We find our place in the world "under the sun" knowing that sometimes we are in positions of authority and sometimes others are in that position over us. Our time is up for today. So until next week keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
Verse 1 says: "Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance." (Eccle 8:1 NIV) This sets up the following example of how wisdom can help avert the wrath of rulers. This is a central proverb to the section. Solomon uses a picturesque metaphor to convey the feeling of wisdom. Wisdom can take the rough edges of knowledge off the intellect.
Verse 2 states: "Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God." (Eccle 8:2 NIV) There are certain persons ordained by God to have authority. They may be quite good at it or not. The history of Israel's kings shows us that.
Verse 3 continues: "Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases." (Eccle 8:3NIV) Attempting to escape the king's unilateral decisions prematurely may not be wise. By the same token allying oneself with a cause ill thought of by the king will be disastrous. The wise man will know how to conduct himself in these precarious circumstances. The thought here is not that the king will do what he pleases but that he can--because he has the authority. The wise man in this example is taking part in human justice and legislation "under the sun"
Verse 4 states: "Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, "What are you doing?" (Eccle 8:4 NIV) The rhetorical question demands the answer no one and nothing. To do otherwise would be disastrous.
Applications to the addictive and compulsive person? Dealing with resentments are a significant part of recovery. Sometimes as addicts we want to have the last word. This becomes disatrous in the face of legal authorities and leaders and managers in the workplace. Sometimes as addicts and compulsive people we become so fixated on our point of view we lose sight of the fact that we may win some suppoosed battle but lose the war. Anger becomes a major piece of the addicts thinking in these encounters. The wise person learns how to temper himself and see reality as it really is. There is someone in greater power than himself. As people in recovery we continue to treat authority with respect. We find our place in the world "under the sun" knowing that sometimes we are in positions of authority and sometimes others are in that position over us. Our time is up for today. So until next week keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Solomon Project: Ecclesiastes 7:25-29
Please see earlier blogs for the rationale behind these posts. Solomon continues on in the search for wisdom and finding its limitations. This section deals with the human component of wisdom.
Have you ever wondered how it is that some people can be so intelligent in factual and logical data but seemingly devoid of any logic or reason when it comes to living life emotionally appropriate and strategically executed. The limitations of wisdom here are seen to be humans themselves.
Verse 7:25 says: "So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly." (Eccle 7:25). The author was going to devote himself to "understand," to "investigate," to "search." and come full circle to "understanding" again. He is going to explore both the positive and negative aspects of wisdom. Solomon has admitted the limitations of wisdom (23-24) but is going to pursue it any way.
Verse 26 says: "I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare." (Eccle 7:26) In his search he tells us what he has found. The first thing is a woman who is a snare. Lord knows that if anyone knew about women being snares Solomon would. He tells us he had a harem in 2:8. Other sources tell us that he had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines (2 Ki 11:3-4). It also tells us that they had a negative influence upon his spiritual life. On the outset it would appear that Solomon has turned into a misogynist. However 9:9 commands those under the sun to enjoy their wife (conversely husband as well). Thus Solomon has a particular kind of woman in mind here. This woman who is a snare here epitomizes folly, stupidity and wickedness. She is an embodiment of foolishness. Solomon has in mind here the way of wisdom and the way of foolishness. Those who please God, following his commands will comprehend the folly of falling prey to this woman. The book of Proverbs is replete with commands and illustrations concerning falling prey to seductive women.
Verse 27 says: ""Look," says the Teacher, "This is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the schemes of things--" (Eccle 7:27) Solomon tells us how he went about arriving at his conclusions by adding observations together.
Verse 28 goes on: "While I was searching but not finding--I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all." (Eccle 7:28) However this verse is understood it has rather misogynistic implications. Solomon is reflecting his culture at this point and the fact that he is viewing this phenomenon as "under the sun." This was a partiarchal culture in which he wrote.
He found this truth as he was searching for wisdom. I think it is important to recognize that his search was for wisdom from the standpoint of wisdom (23). He would never have been able to reach these conclusions about human nature if he did not approach the folly of sinners through the wisdom framework. Solomon's observations are in the context of wisdom. the term "upright" is added for clarity in the NIV. The context must supply the necessary term here.
Verse 29 states: "This only have I found: God made man upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." (Eccle 7:29) Man here should be taken as mankind. This verse hearkens back to the beginnings of Genesis and the creation of mankind. The account of mankind is that they fell into sin and as a result were irrevocably marred and separated from God. The conclusion is that mankind has gone in search of many schemes. "Calculations" is another term that could suffice here.
And for those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity? This passage certainly has implications for those who suffer from sexual addiction. Fearing God will keep one from the seductive woman. the sinner falls prey to her. There is an air of finality about this. Seduction, acting out, out of control behavior all carry a flavor of foolishness and violation of God's laws. Those who are sexually addicted are deluded by a perception that they are strong, almost omnipotent, beyond the rules and consequences. Living close to the edge only heightens the adrenaline rush. In reality they are deluded. sinners, and on the path of the foolish.
We are the problem. searching for wisdom, while inexhaustible, will show us the true nature of humanity. We are a sinful lot, corrupt and scheming, whether it be 0 in a thousand or 1 in a thousand. We are desperately in need of the help of our higher power to restore us to sanity. I end with this quote from Jean Paul Sartre: "It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish then to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." Sobriety and recovery strike at the heart of the problem. This is a spiritual journey. We turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Step four involves determining the scheming that has gone on in our lives, both by ourselves and others. We started out upright but have gone in search of many schemes. We pray for clarity as we move through recovery seeking guidance from our higher power.
Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it!
Have you ever wondered how it is that some people can be so intelligent in factual and logical data but seemingly devoid of any logic or reason when it comes to living life emotionally appropriate and strategically executed. The limitations of wisdom here are seen to be humans themselves.
Verse 7:25 says: "So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly." (Eccle 7:25). The author was going to devote himself to "understand," to "investigate," to "search." and come full circle to "understanding" again. He is going to explore both the positive and negative aspects of wisdom. Solomon has admitted the limitations of wisdom (23-24) but is going to pursue it any way.
Verse 26 says: "I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare." (Eccle 7:26) In his search he tells us what he has found. The first thing is a woman who is a snare. Lord knows that if anyone knew about women being snares Solomon would. He tells us he had a harem in 2:8. Other sources tell us that he had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines (2 Ki 11:3-4). It also tells us that they had a negative influence upon his spiritual life. On the outset it would appear that Solomon has turned into a misogynist. However 9:9 commands those under the sun to enjoy their wife (conversely husband as well). Thus Solomon has a particular kind of woman in mind here. This woman who is a snare here epitomizes folly, stupidity and wickedness. She is an embodiment of foolishness. Solomon has in mind here the way of wisdom and the way of foolishness. Those who please God, following his commands will comprehend the folly of falling prey to this woman. The book of Proverbs is replete with commands and illustrations concerning falling prey to seductive women.
Verse 27 says: ""Look," says the Teacher, "This is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the schemes of things--" (Eccle 7:27) Solomon tells us how he went about arriving at his conclusions by adding observations together.
Verse 28 goes on: "While I was searching but not finding--I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all." (Eccle 7:28) However this verse is understood it has rather misogynistic implications. Solomon is reflecting his culture at this point and the fact that he is viewing this phenomenon as "under the sun." This was a partiarchal culture in which he wrote.
He found this truth as he was searching for wisdom. I think it is important to recognize that his search was for wisdom from the standpoint of wisdom (23). He would never have been able to reach these conclusions about human nature if he did not approach the folly of sinners through the wisdom framework. Solomon's observations are in the context of wisdom. the term "upright" is added for clarity in the NIV. The context must supply the necessary term here.
Verse 29 states: "This only have I found: God made man upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." (Eccle 7:29) Man here should be taken as mankind. This verse hearkens back to the beginnings of Genesis and the creation of mankind. The account of mankind is that they fell into sin and as a result were irrevocably marred and separated from God. The conclusion is that mankind has gone in search of many schemes. "Calculations" is another term that could suffice here.
And for those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity? This passage certainly has implications for those who suffer from sexual addiction. Fearing God will keep one from the seductive woman. the sinner falls prey to her. There is an air of finality about this. Seduction, acting out, out of control behavior all carry a flavor of foolishness and violation of God's laws. Those who are sexually addicted are deluded by a perception that they are strong, almost omnipotent, beyond the rules and consequences. Living close to the edge only heightens the adrenaline rush. In reality they are deluded. sinners, and on the path of the foolish.
We are the problem. searching for wisdom, while inexhaustible, will show us the true nature of humanity. We are a sinful lot, corrupt and scheming, whether it be 0 in a thousand or 1 in a thousand. We are desperately in need of the help of our higher power to restore us to sanity. I end with this quote from Jean Paul Sartre: "It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish then to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." Sobriety and recovery strike at the heart of the problem. This is a spiritual journey. We turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Step four involves determining the scheming that has gone on in our lives, both by ourselves and others. We started out upright but have gone in search of many schemes. We pray for clarity as we move through recovery seeking guidance from our higher power.
Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The Solomon Project: Ecclesiastes 7:19-24
The purpose of this blog is to reflect upon the biblical book of Ecclesiastes as it relates to addiction and compulsivity. While I come at this exercise from an orthodox evangelical viewpoint it should not and hopefully does not deter the reader who holds a differing point of view religiously. Those who struggle with addictive and compulsive behaviors all share a common illness regardless of their religious belief. This blog attempts to see in what ways this ancient book can help us reflect on life in such a way as to change our outlook on life and thus enable a change in behavior as we seek to life successfully in recovery or make our way into that way of life.
The context of these verses especially through verse 22 have to do with the limitations of wisdom and righteousness. Verse 19 says: "Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city." (Eccle 7:19) Pretty heady stuff huh? Wisdom has its advantages. Perhaps wisdom will work where righteousness won't. Strategic living certainly can provide the self counsel that can outthink ten rulers. Probably a hyperbole here. the number ten is used to make a point not be a direct numerical reference.
However verse 20 states: " There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." (Eccle 7:20) Wisdom is needed because righteousness is never perfect. No one attains to perfection. This hearkens back to verses 16-17. Here the context will talk about the lack of righteousness in speech. Compare James 3:2 here. Interestingly enough he still calls him a righteous man even though he sins. The balancing of truth here where he presents a strong statement in the form of a Proverb and comes back in the following line and presents an alternate perspective is characteristic of the writer in this book.
Verse 21-22 says: "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you--for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others" (Eccle 7:21-22) This is the application of the observation that the righteous never sin. Solomon is very penetrating here. He touches each one of us with this revealing statement. We tend to be judge and jury sometimes when people take a different point of view of do things that don't fit our viewpoint. I like the perspective caught in this quotation: "Seek to understand then be understood." Our words many times reveal who we are and what we think: Of ourselves of others and the world around us.
Verse 23 states: "All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"--but this was beyond me." (Eccle 7:23) The "quest" motif arises here again. Solomon says that he has gone about gaining wisdom from wisdom's point of view, strategic living so to speak. This verse speaks of a focused decidedly determined search. But in the "atmosphere" of the book it evaporated just like life--elusive and fleeting.
Verse 24 says: "Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound--who can discover it?" (Eccle 7:24) These last two verses are a hinge between the preceding and following sections. The "all this" of verse 23 probably refers to the preceding sections hearkening all the way back to 1:12-18. Verse 24 is in some ways a parallelism with verse 23. The answer to the rhetorical question is given in verse 23 He can't find it and no one else will either.
These verses certainly present for us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity a tempered, and balanced frame of reference. Righteousness is never sure to bring prosperity or just treatment. Wisdom is not sufficient to ward off the inequities of life, even though it can be very powerful. The search for wisdom is never ending. In the midst of this fleeting, vaporous life it would be easy to suspend the search. The ramifications for recovery are great here. When dealing with addiction one must understand that we don't live life like other people. Rather than being omniscient and omnipotent, capable of wielding the world to our desires we understand that we are deficient in seeing the world as it is. Thus we of all people need what the author says he has searched out "with wisdom" and it is a never-ending search. Obtaining the all-important ability to live "strategically." We do not live in addiction and compulsivity but in recovery.
His points here concerning speech and cursing others is to the point. As addicts and compulsive people we can find almost anything and everything that we can disagree with to keep the walls impenetrable. We may have made statements such as "I don't see anyone here working on their stuff." Or perhaps, "They are all a bunch of hypocrites." Or how about "I'm not that bad!" These are all statements that reflect more on us than on those we are critiquing.
The recovery process will look different for each one who sets his mind and will to the task. Each one will have different things that must be assailed and conquered as he goes through it. Let us embrace their journey without judging.
Our time is up for today. I enjoy writing this blog. I hope that those who read it will benefit in some way. So until next week: "keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it!
The context of these verses especially through verse 22 have to do with the limitations of wisdom and righteousness. Verse 19 says: "Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city." (Eccle 7:19) Pretty heady stuff huh? Wisdom has its advantages. Perhaps wisdom will work where righteousness won't. Strategic living certainly can provide the self counsel that can outthink ten rulers. Probably a hyperbole here. the number ten is used to make a point not be a direct numerical reference.
However verse 20 states: " There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." (Eccle 7:20) Wisdom is needed because righteousness is never perfect. No one attains to perfection. This hearkens back to verses 16-17. Here the context will talk about the lack of righteousness in speech. Compare James 3:2 here. Interestingly enough he still calls him a righteous man even though he sins. The balancing of truth here where he presents a strong statement in the form of a Proverb and comes back in the following line and presents an alternate perspective is characteristic of the writer in this book.
Verse 21-22 says: "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you--for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others" (Eccle 7:21-22) This is the application of the observation that the righteous never sin. Solomon is very penetrating here. He touches each one of us with this revealing statement. We tend to be judge and jury sometimes when people take a different point of view of do things that don't fit our viewpoint. I like the perspective caught in this quotation: "Seek to understand then be understood." Our words many times reveal who we are and what we think: Of ourselves of others and the world around us.
Verse 23 states: "All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"--but this was beyond me." (Eccle 7:23) The "quest" motif arises here again. Solomon says that he has gone about gaining wisdom from wisdom's point of view, strategic living so to speak. This verse speaks of a focused decidedly determined search. But in the "atmosphere" of the book it evaporated just like life--elusive and fleeting.
Verse 24 says: "Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound--who can discover it?" (Eccle 7:24) These last two verses are a hinge between the preceding and following sections. The "all this" of verse 23 probably refers to the preceding sections hearkening all the way back to 1:12-18. Verse 24 is in some ways a parallelism with verse 23. The answer to the rhetorical question is given in verse 23 He can't find it and no one else will either.
These verses certainly present for us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity a tempered, and balanced frame of reference. Righteousness is never sure to bring prosperity or just treatment. Wisdom is not sufficient to ward off the inequities of life, even though it can be very powerful. The search for wisdom is never ending. In the midst of this fleeting, vaporous life it would be easy to suspend the search. The ramifications for recovery are great here. When dealing with addiction one must understand that we don't live life like other people. Rather than being omniscient and omnipotent, capable of wielding the world to our desires we understand that we are deficient in seeing the world as it is. Thus we of all people need what the author says he has searched out "with wisdom" and it is a never-ending search. Obtaining the all-important ability to live "strategically." We do not live in addiction and compulsivity but in recovery.
His points here concerning speech and cursing others is to the point. As addicts and compulsive people we can find almost anything and everything that we can disagree with to keep the walls impenetrable. We may have made statements such as "I don't see anyone here working on their stuff." Or perhaps, "They are all a bunch of hypocrites." Or how about "I'm not that bad!" These are all statements that reflect more on us than on those we are critiquing.
The recovery process will look different for each one who sets his mind and will to the task. Each one will have different things that must be assailed and conquered as he goes through it. Let us embrace their journey without judging.
Our time is up for today. I enjoy writing this blog. I hope that those who read it will benefit in some way. So until next week: "keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The Solomon Project:Ecclesiastes 7:15-18
See previous blogs for the rationale for these posts. We are dealing today with Ecclesiastes 7:15-18. This falls into a larger context in which Solomon is dealing with living in moderation. This section began in verse 14. The author is going to tell his readers to understand the importance of living a wise (righteous) life without relying on it to shield one from the vagaries of life. The "quest" motif continues here with the "I have seen" (v. 15), "I have tested"(v. 23), "I turned" (v. 25), has sought (v. 28) and "not found" (vv. 27-29).
Verse 15 begins: "In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. (Eccle 7:15 NIV) Without a long interpretative rendition of this verse. Let us suffice to say that Solomon is not talking about false righteousness. The parallel is not to a false wickedness. The author is urging us to accept the fact that in life the generalities of Job and Proverbs, the law of retribution, don't always hold true in specific instances. "Meaningless" (NIV) has the idea of "fleeting" or "vaporous."
Verse 16 states: "Do not be overrighteous,neither be overwise--why destroy yourself?" (Eccle. 7:16 NIV) The rendering "destroy yourself" here is unfortunate. The idea is to be "astounded" or "confounded." Several things come forth from this. Overzealousness or excessive wisdom is a way of warding off anxiety. That is perhaps one aspect of this but the reliance upon righteousness and wisdom as a sort of talisman will lead to disappointment We all like predictability but we live in an unpredictable world.
Verse 17 says: "Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool--why die before your time?" (Eccle 7:17 NIV) It is very easy to be lured in to doing wrong if the consequences are slow in coming to a climax. Solomon warns that the general rule is that wrongdoing is punished. The law of retribution still stands (c.f. 3:17) . Solomon warns that this lifestyle will end in tragedy early.
Verse 18 states: "It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." (Eccle 7:18 NIV) Solomon is saying that life is a mixture. We can never do everything perfectly. We cannot be perfectly righteous and wise (c.f. 7:20, 27-29). But also this should not lead us to a life of sin with no thought for wisdom and righteousness or more importantly half-hearted obedience (c.f. 8:14)
What are the applications for those who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? Excessive righteousness can be a panacea for the addictive/compulsive person. It becomes a replacement addiction. We call it addiction interaction or symptom replacement. Also righteousness and wisdom can become a manipulative tool in the hands of the addict. It is an attempt to manipulate God, Our Higher Power and others into doing what we want. We think delusionally that things will be better if we can mould the world and everyone in it into our way of thinking. Righteousness and wisdom don't work that way. We learn to humbly come into full contact with the world and everything it presents, relying on our higher power, yielding ourselves and our will to him.
The obverse is many times true. when the world doesn't fit into our frame of reference (and by the way it never will) we launch like a sling-shot into excessive acting out because life: someone or something, doesn't go our way. When righteousness can't mould the world to our way of thinking, we think that the tool doesn't work. It never was a tool to begin with. It's a way of life that comes from our higher power when we yield our lives and will to him. Have you ever acted out in anger because: "life isn't fair," "He (or she) hurt me," "being 'good' doesn't doesn't help," " my wife (or husband) still left and now I'm all alone?" Addictive and compulsive people will find almost any excuse to act out. Solomon warns that while retribution may be unpredictable in its timing it is sure in its execution. Aldous Huxley stated in A Brave New World: "logical consequences are the scarecrows of fools and the beacons of wise men." Claudia Black an addiction and recovery specialist says: "You chose your behaviors, the world chooses your consequences." The wise man will manage his consequences well. He will not try to deny them or change them but live through them, learning the lessons from them that God our higher power has for us to learn.
Our time is up for today please come back next week. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
Verse 15 begins: "In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. (Eccle 7:15 NIV) Without a long interpretative rendition of this verse. Let us suffice to say that Solomon is not talking about false righteousness. The parallel is not to a false wickedness. The author is urging us to accept the fact that in life the generalities of Job and Proverbs, the law of retribution, don't always hold true in specific instances. "Meaningless" (NIV) has the idea of "fleeting" or "vaporous."
Verse 16 states: "Do not be overrighteous,neither be overwise--why destroy yourself?" (Eccle. 7:16 NIV) The rendering "destroy yourself" here is unfortunate. The idea is to be "astounded" or "confounded." Several things come forth from this. Overzealousness or excessive wisdom is a way of warding off anxiety. That is perhaps one aspect of this but the reliance upon righteousness and wisdom as a sort of talisman will lead to disappointment We all like predictability but we live in an unpredictable world.
Verse 17 says: "Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool--why die before your time?" (Eccle 7:17 NIV) It is very easy to be lured in to doing wrong if the consequences are slow in coming to a climax. Solomon warns that the general rule is that wrongdoing is punished. The law of retribution still stands (c.f. 3:17) . Solomon warns that this lifestyle will end in tragedy early.
Verse 18 states: "It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." (Eccle 7:18 NIV) Solomon is saying that life is a mixture. We can never do everything perfectly. We cannot be perfectly righteous and wise (c.f. 7:20, 27-29). But also this should not lead us to a life of sin with no thought for wisdom and righteousness or more importantly half-hearted obedience (c.f. 8:14)
What are the applications for those who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? Excessive righteousness can be a panacea for the addictive/compulsive person. It becomes a replacement addiction. We call it addiction interaction or symptom replacement. Also righteousness and wisdom can become a manipulative tool in the hands of the addict. It is an attempt to manipulate God, Our Higher Power and others into doing what we want. We think delusionally that things will be better if we can mould the world and everyone in it into our way of thinking. Righteousness and wisdom don't work that way. We learn to humbly come into full contact with the world and everything it presents, relying on our higher power, yielding ourselves and our will to him.
The obverse is many times true. when the world doesn't fit into our frame of reference (and by the way it never will) we launch like a sling-shot into excessive acting out because life: someone or something, doesn't go our way. When righteousness can't mould the world to our way of thinking, we think that the tool doesn't work. It never was a tool to begin with. It's a way of life that comes from our higher power when we yield our lives and will to him. Have you ever acted out in anger because: "life isn't fair," "He (or she) hurt me," "being 'good' doesn't doesn't help," " my wife (or husband) still left and now I'm all alone?" Addictive and compulsive people will find almost any excuse to act out. Solomon warns that while retribution may be unpredictable in its timing it is sure in its execution. Aldous Huxley stated in A Brave New World: "logical consequences are the scarecrows of fools and the beacons of wise men." Claudia Black an addiction and recovery specialist says: "You chose your behaviors, the world chooses your consequences." The wise man will manage his consequences well. He will not try to deny them or change them but live through them, learning the lessons from them that God our higher power has for us to learn.
Our time is up for today please come back next week. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you are worth it.
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