Nurturing/Encouraging Assignment from Training in Wisdom Literature
-Guiding a conversation with a suffering believer using the assigned text.
Thank you for letting me visit with you today. After you shared with me all of your pain, and the struggle you are currently facing I just had to come see you face to face. My prayer has been that you would be encouraged today as we look into the scriptures at the first 4 verses from Ecclesiastes 7. Let me read it to you.
A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
This text has so much grief in it. Would you agree with that? So, it is definitely something you can relate to. Let’s just look at it a little closer. The first verse talks about how someone is called do they have a good name? People are looked at as wise or as a foolish? Then it says the good name is better than precious ointment something very valuable and the day of death better than the day of birth. Now I don’t know about you, but that just makes me question. How in the world can the day of death be better than the day of birth? It sure doesn’t seem better, right? But if you think about it what happens to our heart when we are faced with death? Usually it breaks our hearts, right? And it reminds us how short and temporary this life is. We are caused to question, what are we living for, and is it worth it?
The same is true for the next verse. It is better to be in a place where we are reminded of what is wrong with creation and see our need for help than to go on feasting without a care. Because all of our lives on this earth will come to an end. Our days are numbered, and we know this in our hearts.
It continues to esteem grief highly stating how sorrow is better for us than laughter. Actually better. It is through sadness of our face that our hearts are made glad. Our heart is made glad in the eternal things because we see clearly the brokenness of this world, and long for the next. Our idolatry of creation is removed.
So, the section ends with a statement about where to find the wise. The wise hearts are in the house of mourning, And the heart of fools in the house of laughter.
It is likely a little surprising to you this high esteem of mourning in these verses, but the author makes a point to contradict our natural perception of mourning.
God has designed it so that in the mourning of loss, pain, and suffering there is something profound to be found.
Not only is there great purpose in your suffering, but there is also this very precious gift that God intends to give you in the midst of it all. It is the greatest thing you could ever receive. He wants to give you a special knowledge and more of Himself. This very pain and suffering is allowing you to get to know Jesus in ways that others may never see. They haven’t experienced what you are currently struggling through so they don’t get to know Jesus in this unique way that you are getting to need him and know Him. And just look at his life. Can you remember his life? Can you remember his suffering? You would agree with me that he suffered greatly, right? And so was there any purpose to his suffering? Was it all just meaningless? No. Not at all! The suffering of Christ was not wasted, and served a great purpose. Remember, the suffering of Christ kept us from being completely destroyed by the wrath of God. The death of Christ brought life to us. Likewise, your tears and your cries out to God are not wasted. The wisdom and understanding you are gaining from this trial is protecting you from the foolishness of placing your hope in the things of this world, and ultimately leading you to a deeper enjoyment of eternal life with Christ. And maybe along the way he could use your story to connect with others who struggle and lead them into eternal life as well. So, continue looking to God and fearing his name. He will sustain you and give the lasting eternal comfort to your heart.
