MAKING THE RIGHT SELECTION
Solomon wrote:
“Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Ecc. 12:8-12).
Solomon sought wisdom and knowledge (1 Kings 4:30-34); and he also sought to teach. “He gave good heed…sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth.” He said the words of the wise were like “goads”, in other words, prodding our thinking. Have we become stale in our thinking? The writer said it was like “nails”. They provide stability. Have you heard the phrase, “nail it down?” The right kind of knowledge will nail it down.
There is no end to the printing of books, and with the internet, that is an explosion of information; but is it the right kind of information? One must be selective in what he reads. One writer said, “Since life ‘under the sun’ is filled with so much vanity, we are admonished by the Preacher, by both example and precept, to seek out the right kind of wisdom to guide our short sojourn here on earth.” It is easy to be led in the wrong direction.
It seems to me that Solomon is warning us against two things.
One is to discourage the reading of the wrong material. Watch what you read. People magazine might show you how the rich and famous live, but it will surely not help you to live your life today. Subscribe to good publications for your home.
The second warning here is given in the Holy Bible when Paul wrote, “…That in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written…: (1 Cor. 4:6). Warning, don’t go beyond what the Bible teaches.
Make the right selection in your study. Read the Bible.
LARRY