Ecclesiastes 8 -- Wisdom And Authorities

Solomon discusses the value of wisdom and how it can help us exercise discernment in our interactions with authorities.  Here are some things I read:

“Suppose the king commanded the servant to do something evil, something that the servant did not want to do?  What should the servant do?  Here is where wisdom comes to his aid … Four possible approaches he could take to this problem.”

First, Disobedience – Solomon advised against this, since the king could do no wrong and no one could decide against him (since he was the king, he’d know, I guess).

Second, Desertion – “More than one person has quit a job or resigned from office in order to maintain his or her integrity.  But Solomon warned that even this action may not be safe, because the king might be offended and punish the person anyway.

Third, Defiance – Peter said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”  My commentary said about “standing up for what is right – This doesn’t mean we can resist the law on every minor matter that disturbs us, but it does mean we have the obligation to obey our conscience.  How we express our disagreement with the authorities demands wisdom and grace.”

Fourth, Discernment – “It takes discernment to know the right procedure for the right time.  The impulsive person who overreacts and storms out of the room is probably only making the problem worse.  Wisdom helps us understand people and situations and to figure out the right thing to do at the right time.”

My commentary talked about the apostles when they went before the religious leaders in their day.  “They exercised spiritual discernment … they showed respect toward those in authority even though the religious leaders were prejudiced and acted illegally.  The apostles were even willing to suffer for their faith, and the Lord honored them.”

Father God, I value what You have to say this morning about discernment, and I ask that You continue to grow it within me.  I want to know the proper thing to do at the proper time.  Your Word shows that even religious leaders are susceptible to error.  You Son, in His wisdom and with Your blessing, showed them the error of their ways.  In all I have to face, help me to be more like Christ.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford