Let Not Wisdom Become Bitter

Life’s tough. Sometimes it’s impossible to understand. Don’t let it make you bitter.

March’s Awakening, Day 24

By three methods we may learn wisdom:

First, by reflection, which is noblest;

Second, by imitation, which is easiest;

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

 —Confucius  

Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too full of self to seek other than itself.

 —Kahlil Gibran 

and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:7–11, 13–14 NIV

            Life’s lessons are extremely difficult and sometimes it’s impossible to comprehend the meaning of it all. The elderly King Solomon, the man of wisdom who had no rival, the Teacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes, ponders the meaning of life and in a bit of despondency concludes that all in life is meaningless.  All, that is, except to fear God and keep His commandments. Maybe it’s a bit depressing to hear the man of wisdom speak in this light, but it may be comforting in one sense to know that even the wisest man who ever was, struggled with understanding the meaning of all that life is. The lesson is that only God sees and knows the whole picture and we just get glimpses.

             It takes a lot of faith and trust in God to follow through in this life and know that there truly is a plan and reason for it all. Don’t let life’s experiences make you bitter and don’t lose focus that there is a bigger picture yet to be known. Let God’s wisdom guide you and know that it’s okay to be despondent at times, just don’t let life make you bitter.