Today's installment of this blog comes to you in the context of Chapter 1:16-2:3. We have been looking at this ancient book and observing how it applies to us today who struggle with addictive and compulsive behaviors. First off let me say that at least "high tech" knowledge can be frustrating. I took some software programs off my laptop yesterday afternoon and put a new one on and it now is shut down to the point that windows won't even continue to run. This is the job for a professional except I have to finish getting ready for class tomorrow night! Right now I am on my son's computer.

Anyway here we go. We are looking today at how Solomon viewed wisdom and the contrasting foolishness of life, both in thought and behavior. The wisest man whoever lived looks for the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolishness and folly. Surely there must be some benefit to wisdom and knowledge. But Solomon says no. Why? this sounds ridiculous that you would not find any benefit in this contrast. We look for ways to avoid bad behaviors and accomplish good behaviors as addictive and compulsive people in recovery. But Solomon in these ancient texts says this knowledge only leads to frustration. Why? it leads to heartache. A wise man will understand that all the conundrums and inequities of life cannot all be alleviated, even in his own life. This leads to emotional sorrow and mental anguish. Compulsive and addictive people will many times use this insight to act out impulsively. So Solomon leads them down that path.

The first three verses of the second chapter deals with What may be labeled the boomerang effect. If living life skillfully and gaining insight and wisdom are of no use then let's throw caution to the wind! Solomon says I'm going to make indulgent behavior a research project! Now that sounds like something an addict would do! But in the end as all of us know and Solomon found out it is empty also. Self indulgent pleasure provides no meaningful substance to life. Addictive and compulsive behaviors are a series of deluded self indulgent actions attempting to control emotions or to control and minimize the damage to self, to loved ones, to others. All the while dashing from one behavior to another looking for the "big fix." And that can be used loosely. Solomon concludes this is also futile.

Solomon also says that humor in the context of self indulgence doesn't work either. How much humor have you heard from addictive and compulsive people that is biting, sarcastic and moronic? There is another proverb elsewhere that states "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Many times with addicts comes that gallows humor. It is a way of dealing with the tragic sorrows that this behavior brings. We laugh at the tragedies but it is an empty laughter.

Solomon specifically identifies one of the best known of addictions: alcohol. Here is the use of wine. The nuance of the text here is that Solomon engaged in using wine to its full potential to see what it could accomplish. It is not without a realistic connection that Solomon put alcohol in the context of foolish behavior. The two go together (cf. Prov. 20:1, 21:17, 23:20, 29-35).

Interesting--during this research project that Solomon set out on he knew what he was doing, unlike some of us who use addictive and compulsive behaviors to manage our lives. Solomon has come back with the results of his study. The results are: don't do it. It doesn't work. Dr. Robert Littlefield a colleague of mine quoted this one time and it stuck. "The definition of addictive and compulsive behaviors is the irresistible urge to commit an irrational act." I think that is very good.

So we conclude again today with the concept that all of these behaviors may appear to hold meaning but in the end are empty like the breath of air we breathe in and out. As addicts we are powerless to change life and the behaviors in it. That is the first step. knowledge doesn't work, self indulgence doesn't work, humor doesn't work and alcohol doesn't work. Solomon will eventually tell us--he's building the case right now--that a spiritual path will provide meaning to a meaningless life.

Our time is up for today so until our next session: "Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it."