The Solomon Project--Ecclesiastes 2:20-23

If you have read the earlier blogs you know that this blog is certainly for my own benefit but for those who wish to look into wisdom literature as an aid to recovery particularly sexual addiction and compulsivity but addiction and compulsivity in general. Its goal is a broad-based appeal to all faiths. Hopefully it will be attractive to those who desire to live life more skillfully.

For those who may not be familiar with the Bible. Ecclesiastes is a part of the larger section of the Bible known as the wisdom literature. This would include such books in the Bible as Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs or better known as the Song of Solomon.

We looked last week at the passage 2:15-19. This week we will be looking at 2:20-23. Solomon (whom I think wrote the book) has already discussed the vexing concept that the fruit of one's labor is left to those alive after the person dies. Solomon now turns the concept over in his mind, chewing on the concept so to speak. The passage is parallel to the previous though but now given deeper meaning. Solomon says he allows himself, his mind, to enter in fully to the grief of this vexing concept. He really will have to leave the fruit of his labor to presumably his family. How often do we as addictive and compulsive people not allow ourselves to fully grieve these kinds of losses and paradoxes of life? Acting out stops these kinds of painful realizations. We think we do but in many ways and many times addictive and compulsive behavior acts as a defense mechanism to block or wall off painful things in our lives. Solomon says he entered fully into accepting the reality of this truth of life.

2:21 continues the variation of this theme. He he talks about the effort that goes into the accumulation of worldly things. This takes effort--wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Nothing is gained by simply thinking about it or wishing for it. It takes effort. Effort that addictive and compulsive people may not want to exert. All the effort is spent in acting out. There is not energy Left for true effort. Also there is with addiction and compulsivity a sense of entitlement, that you expect that someone will leave you an inheritance that can be spent in the expense of life so that you can carry out addictive and compulsive behavior. He ends by stating that this is a great injustice. Solomon will talk about other injustices in the book. This one has to do with the fact that all one works for goes to those who have not worked for it and may not manage it wisely. This injustice or wrong of life is one which has no answer. We want to see injustice righted but for this there is no righteous answer. It is a fact of life.

Verse 2:22 begins to discuss again what is the fruit of this for the man who has acquired it? This is a rhetorical question at this point in the book. We know that the answer will be "a chasing after wind." But Solomon is building a verbal case a crescendo so to speak so that we will know and understand the vanity of the accumulation of wealth. As addictive and compulsive people we don't want to have to face the fact that what we do ends in pain and frustration. As addicts we are into pleasure and satisfaction. If by now you are sick and tire of reading about fruitlessness and the vanity of things in this life, then Solomon is getting his point across. Letting go of the pain that you hold on to will involve a grief process.

Verse 2:23 Presents the conclusion to this section. Work produces pain and frustration. The effort gives one a mind that can't relax. Workaholism is an addictive behavior. Sometimes involved in addiction interaction. We compulsively act out with our drug or activity of choice and use other compulsive behaviors to enable us to carry out the compulsive behaviors. The pursuit of wealth and worldly possessions can be an obsession that consumes us even into our off hours. Such obsession is medicated away by using our drug of choice in the off hours.

Solomon doesn't present the solution here. That is one of the paradoxes of the book. While the struggle can be a chasing after wind this life here and now can be enjoyed. He will tell us how.

If any of this strikes home with you. Please tell someone: a trusted friend, a spiritual advisor, someone in the pastoral, clergy profession, a therapist. Until you can name it and bring it out of the shadows it will have power over you. You may feel trapped now inside addictive and compulsive behavior. There is new life on the other side. Our time is up for today so keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it.