Day Forty-Seven -- Wisdom: Godliness or meaningless?

Proverbs 20:22 to Ecclesiastes 2:26

The instructions and admonitions of the proverbs might be a bit of a mixed bag for us, but on the whole they are meant to point the way to living a godly life.  My spouse was amused by the proverbs that mention quarrelsome wives and wondered aloud how many husbands felt they might need to dwell on a corner of their roof (see Proverbs 21:9).  I imagine some wives might be just as happy if they did.  For my part, I particularly noted Proverbs 23:9, "Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words."  It reminded me of an episode of the 1970's television show All in the Family.  Archie Bunker, the blowhard know-it-all who really knew very little, was having one of his typical disagreements, this time with a clergyman.  After getting nowhere with Archie, the religious man recited Proverbs 23:9 and headed to the door.  Archie looked confused and asked what that was supposed to mean.  The clergyman said, "Quite simply it means 'Don't waste your time arguing with an idiot'" and turned and walked out.  Sometimes godly living means stepping away from bad situations.

But as Proverbs proclaims that godliness is the goal of living, the message seems to have escaped the self-proclaimed 'Teacher' or 'Preacher' of Ecclesiastes.  "Meaningless! Meaningless!" is his cry.  This guy is not exactly the life of the party.  He gets nothing from wisdom, pleasure or toil, and seems fond of saying that everything is "a chasing after the wind."  The Teacher makes me think of the 1953 movie  The Wild One in which Marlon Brando plays Johnny, the leader of a motorcycle gang terrorizing a small town.  One of the local girls asks him "What are you rebelling against, Johnny?", and his answer is, "Whaddaya got?"  Let's hope that Ecclisastes gives us a better answer than that.