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.