The Pleasures of Folly

In Ecclesiastes 2, Solomon chronicled his many attempts to find meaning in pleasure. He tried wine; built houses; planted vineyards, gardens, orchards, and fruit trees; bought servants; possessed many herds and flocks, as well as silver and gold; brought in singers to entertain him; and had many concubines. But all of it was vanity.

Ultimately, he found that wisdom, even if it brings sorrow, is better than the pleasures of folly. And that is still true today. What are you doing to gain wisdom? Of course, wisdom starts with the scriptures, so a steady diet of God’s Word is important. But what else are you doing? Are you reading books that stretch you? Are you surrounding yourself with wise people who can speak into your life on a regular basis?

“Low culture” is usually referred to as pop culture, and it tends to engage the sense of pleasure. “High culture” focuses on art, literature, and scholarship, and it tends to engage the mind. Of course, there is some crossover, but the intentions are different. Solomon would say not to neglect high culture.

_{Excerpts from 3-Minute Daily Devotions for Men, compiled by Barbour Staff}