More of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs

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Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 (NIV & NKJV, NAS) Proverbs 2 (NIV & NKJV, NAS)

All of Ecclesiastes 1 (NIV)

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Okay, so I know it's about time I continued on the theme I started here, but things have been hectic lately (not really much of an excuse, though). Oh well, I took notes on these chapters over a month ago, and got a tiny start on a post about them, but I figure now I may as well start over, as it's muchly outdated.

In Ecclesiastes, the author is saying that wisdom in meaningless, but in Proverbs, Solomon stresses that it is rewarding. So what makes the difference? It seems rather a contradiction, especially if Solomon did indeed write both books.
Ecclesiastes says he pursued wisdom and knowledge—-to the point where he could say his wisdom surpassed all the previous kings of Jerusalem. (v. 16) Indeed this man sought to understand wisdom and knowledge itself, but it was simply a "chasing after the wind." (v. 17)
Proverbs, however, says that if we seek wisdom diligently, we will understand the fear of the LORD, and "knowledge will be pleasant to your soul" (v. 10) --a far cry from the pessimistic view in Ecclesiastes that predicts wisdom just causes pain! (v. 18)
Looking at these verses, it seems to me that the difference may be in what we seek wisdom about, and why. For instance, if we seek wisdom from the LORD, or seek wisdom about Him, we will be rewarded with the knowledge we gain, because it will draw us closer to Him, and help us serve Him. But if we simply seek knowledge for its own sake, or for our own gratification, it will not be the same. Because the knowledge we gain won't be used for deepening our relationship with Him, we feel a longing to do so, and it translates into an emptiness. Really, it's what always happens to us when we don't include God as a focal point of our life and actions. It's the "God-shaped vacuum" that makes us feel empty when we're not pursuing Him—-even if we have all the wealth, fame, and knowledge in the world.

Over and out for now, two more Ecclesiastes/Proverbs posts coming soon, plus another two general intrest posts... I hope. 'o)

God bless,
Ten-Four, Good Buddies.