Wisdom And Knowledge

The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. [Ecclesiastes 1.18]

I have pondered this verse before. It is intriguing, isn't it?

As I considered this verse today, it stood out to me that wisdom and knowledge carry great responsibility. Seen only from a selfish human point of view, this great responsibility becomes a great burden. Great burdens, as most would agree, can carry a lot of grief and sorrow.

The sad truth of Solomon's life - that he fell away from God into worship of many foreign gods - should cause us to consider that Solomon's grief and sorrow was undoubtedly the result of trying to utilize wisdom and knowledge without the help of God or for the purpose of God. As stated above, the great burden of wisdom and knowledge, outside of God's purpose, can be nothing but grief and sorrow.

Consider Jesus:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12.1-2 NKJV]

Unless we see the "people purpose" in wisdom and knowledge, as did Jesus, we will never experience joy in the responsibility of them. Instead, like Solomon, we will know only grief and sorrow.

Father, thank You for the wisdom and knowledge You have given me. I have dealt with it on my own though, evidenced by the grief and sorrow I have experienced. Please forgive me for making wisdom and knowledge about me instead of about how I might serve others as Jesus taught and demonstrated.