Hammer on Anvil '

"For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow"
(Ecclesiastes 2:18).

As I read in Ecclesiastes last week, this verse really hit home. The study notes in my Bible confirmed that it means precisely what it says:

Wisdom is a mixed blessing: to gain wisdom and understanding is to gain a clearer view into the tragedies of life in a world marred by sin.

When you're a child, you want to at least dream that the world is a beautiful place. Even if you were raised in a less-than-ideal family situation, you dream of the day when you can get away and THEN the world will be beautiful.

Yes, God has made extraordinarily wonderful creations in this world we live in, and their beauty daily compels me to thank Him and give Him praise. But this world is marred by sin. I have seen and heard far more in my lifetime than I ever thought I would, and it would be easy to be hardened and cynical and devoid of hope -- were it not for Jesus.

Jesus saw the ugliness of this world from a much more horrific standpoint than any of us ever will. And the fact that He was sinless must have made the ugliness all the more abhorrent. Because of the wickedness in my own heart, I can understand and sympathize with sinfulness. But our precious Savior never sinned -- in thought, word or deed.

Philippians 2:6 tells us that though He was in very nature God, Jesus did not use that position to His own advantage. Rather, He emptied himself and took the form of a servant. Imagine that. One so holy that His eyes are like fire -- One so pure that our eyes cannot even behold His glory -- became a servant to people like us. He left His home in heaven to walk this earth, among people who expressed their gratitude by nailing Him to a cross.

But see, that's where our hope lies. Had Jesus called for legions of angels to come to His rescue, we
would all be doomed to spend eternity outside of His presence. Had He demanded respect from people because of who He was, God's stupendous plan of redemption would never have been carried out. Instead, He humbled himself and submitted to His Father's will.

When I am tempted to despair because of the wickedness in the world, I remember these words of Oswald Chambers:

Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person.

If someone as holy as Jesus was never suspicious or bitter, then surely we who are sinful can follow in His footsteps. Think about the people in your sphere of influence today. Are there some you have deemed hopeless causes? Before you utter the damning words, "He'll never change," think about the mire from which Jesus reached down and redeemed you. Pray for the "impossible people" to be convicted of their need for a Savior.

Back to today's Scripture. Yes, much wisdom brings much vexation, and increased knowledge brings increased sorrow. But allow God to use that sorrow to break your heart. Allow Him to drive you to intercede for the lost, and for your brothers and sisters in Christ. It is more comfortable to not think about the ugliness in the world, but we are called to be redeemers of life. Let's remove the blinders and be light and salt to those around us.