10 11 07 Knowledge vs. Wisdom: Wise Men

“Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
because this is the whole duty of man.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:13)

The Preacher, David’s son Solomon gives us one final conclusion on life: After all has been heard in the book, his conclusion is that the whole duty of man is to obey God because God will bring all acts into judgment, including all that is hidden, whether good or bad. As we age, reality sets in. We realize a lot of what we did as a youth was worthless and simply a waste of time. We want to make something of our life as we mature and begin to think about leaving a legacy.

Some see a legacy as a large retirement account. Some want to be sure their children and grandchildren have money, real estate, or some sort of endowment to tap into as they grow. The Preacher tells us here that the most basic thing we can do in life is to fear God and obey Him. I pray that is what others, especially my wife, children, and grandchildren will say about me! I want that to be my legacy. If I leave mo money, no homes, or no investments behind, at least I can leave a legacy of integrity and honor to the Creator and Master.

Knowledge is defined (Oxford English Dictionary) variously as facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education. Wisdom, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as the accumulated philosophic or scientific learning-knowledge. Solomon was wise. We can have all the knowledge (facts and information) in the world, but without the wisdom of how to apply it, we are lost. Many of us have so much knowledge, so much talent, and so much education, but it goes untapped. Having all the wisdom God had granted Him, Solomon still concluded that knowing God, honoring Him, and obeying Him was the smartest thing to do in life! He learned this the hard way, after hundreds of wives, millions of dollars in investment deals, and eventually a loss of Godly character. In his heart, as he grew older, he realized the basic duty of all men: “fear God and keep His commandments”.

Let’s learn from the wise man. Let’s not waste years and years of labor for nothing. Gold and silver will rust. Homes can be destroyed in an instant. Real estate is dependent upon the banks. Bank accounts can go belly up. The stock market is a bad week away from crashing. Vacations last a week or two. Our families are with us every day, but even those years are fading daily. So what are we doing with all the knowledge we have accrued? Are we being wise, investing in things for eternity, leaving a Godly legacy behind for generations to come? What conclusion will others reach when they examine our lives? Did we fear God? Did we keep His commandments? Were we WISE MEN (and women)?