The Solomon Project Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

For those of you who have happened upon this blog for the first time, this blog is an application of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament of the Bible to people who suffer from addictive and compulsivity activities especially sexual addiction but can be applied to any addictive and compulsive activity. It is envisioned to be broad-based in its application and touch all faiths and belief systems. When completed we will have visited all the wisdom books written by Solomon and include Job. Each will be done in a years time.

This week we are dealing with Ecclesiastes 4:13-16. The author has just finished his musings over primary relationships and the importance that companionship has to helps us in the various stages of our life. He now turns this idea of interpersonal relationships around to professional relationships and the emptiness of wealth, fame,foolishness and power. The gist of the passage is the power and popularity and fame and control are fleeting and transitory "chasing after wind."

Verse 13 says, " Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. (Eccles. 4:13) Why would this be? At the very root of the answer is the dichotomy between wisdom and foolishness. The writer of Ecclesiastes sees wisdom as the better choice than foolishness in all circumstances. Some how royalty is not befitting foolishness and close-mindedness.

Verse 14 continues on, "The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom." (Eccles. 4:14) This is reminiscent of both Joseph and David his father. Joseph rose to fame in Egypt through wisdom and David rose from obscurity to fame in the very kingdom he would eventually rule. Saul was a foolish king.

Verse 15 states, "I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor." (Eccles. 4:15) Solomon was not unobservant of trends in his own kingdom or the dynamics of other kingdoms. In the ancient world political systems were full of intrigue and treachery i.e. Julius Caesar and the Ides of March. Solomon's rule came after Absalom's, his half brother's, rebellion. Solomon knew full well the unstableness of power and control.

Verse 16 brings the conclusion to this discussion: "There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." The writer sums up this discussion by saying this is all chasing after wind. Even when the popular younger ruler gained power and had all the people's support even then it waned and disillusionment set in. Solomon stated that this is an endless parade of people rising to power and falling.

Thomas Wolfe said, "You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity." There is great truth to that. Our society and the structures within it, be they corporate, political, religious or economic are built on a management style of power. Very few people know how to lead with power divested with such a dynamic that it can be regained as such a time as needed. The phrase "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." is sad but true. I have watched mangers shame, guilt and browbeat subordinates into the "corporate model." This was to achieve the bottom line. To some people power and control is a wonderful elixir. It is an addiction if you will.

People who suffer from addiction move through different phases of this they may be powerful in their business but powerless in their homes. They may be in control in their profession but out of control in their drug of choice be it sex prescription drugs, designer drugs, alcohol or sex. Fame and power only serve to create the illusion of invincibility. Ask Gordon McDonald. He stated in his book Ordering Your Private World that: "We must learn to soundproof the heart against the intruding noises of the public world in order to hear what God has to say." Unfortunately he had isolated himself so neatly that he never heard from other intelligent people who could challenge some of his decisions and fell from his prestigious pastorate after writing this same book. There is for the addictive and compulsive person a delusional concept of power. "Consequences will never happen to me." But they inevitable do. Addicts and compulsive people who suffer from sexual addiction particularly think they are in control of their acting out. They are in control of what they use, how they exchange money for sex or do not, and how others are used. It becomes increasingly out of control.

If any of this characterizes your life please look to whatever higher power you claim. get into relationship with others in recovery, and begin to take the most difficult of all steps a searching ad fearless moral inventory. You will not lose yourself you will find yourself and lose the addiction and compulsivity. Horace Greeley said: "Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident and money takes wings. The only thing that endures is character."

Our time is up for today, so until next time: Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're work it!