The Mind of Solomon

What happens to a person who believes there is nothing else to achieve? What if this person comes to a point in life, when based upon their experiences, finds nothing else to challenge them?

I believe Solomon, King David’s son, came to this conclusion. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon makes it clear that people should attempt to enjoy life without allowing themselves to become fools. He also makes it clear that our ultimate purpose is to worship and serve God.

Solomon proclaims, “all is vanity” many times throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. Even though he was ordained by God to be the wisest of all men, his calling provoked him to become somewhat mad with the pursuit of wisdom.

We strive to attain more than we have, not knowing what we will become when we achieve that which we desire.

The pursuit of wisdom is a good thing for most people, but in the end, as Solomon says, can bring misery to some. God, in His infinite wisdom, bestows understanding upon us as He sees fit. In other words, only He knows when we are ready to receive another bit of knowledge.

Being wise in our own eyes can lead to spiritual blindness and a hardening of our hearts. We are to seek wisdom while understanding our own limitations and weaknesses. The most intelligent people I know are wise enough to understand that learning is an endless pursuit which leads us to conclude that we can never know all things.

James 3:14-18 says, “Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

About the Author

Kim Linton is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of topics including Christianity, technology and industry trends. Her work has been featured on major news outlets including The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and has been published on a variety of niche sites including Woman's Day and Intel.