Opposite World

Opposite World

The old are not wise.

The young are not strong.

The rich are not happy.

The fool is not wrong.

The king is a slave

In royal disguise;

O what under the sun

Makes us think we are wise?

A year or two ago I was reading Ecclesiastes, hearing the Teacher lament that nothing is as it should be. Everything is meaningless. Both the wise man and the fool will one day die (Eccl. 2:16). As I look around today, nothing much has changed.

The old are not wise.

Disclaimer: This line is a generalization. I’m so grateful for the wisdom and counsel of older people in my life, such as my grandparents. Common sense would tell us that wisdom comes with age (Job 32:7) and that understanding belongs to the old (Job 12:12). Sometimes that’s true. In the words of Proverbs 16:31, gray hair is a crown of splendor, attained in the way of righteousness.

And yet, many older people today are not wise. We have a politician now in his eighties attempting to convince us that socialism is the best way. Others are not so famous yet have been church-goers for decades, men and women, and either lead others astray or fail to be the example they should. Now it’s not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right (Job 32:9).

Again, of course there are exceptions, older saints I see as true treasures and founts of wisdom and knowledge. But they’re just that: the exception.

The young are not strong.

The norm or expectation is that young people are in the prime of their lives. Youth is supposed to be a time of strength and vigor and boldness. Yet even healthy young people are affected by serious, crippling diseases.

On top of that, young people today are weak emotionally and mentally and many times spiritually. Again, of course there are exceptions, but the young overall are not strong. Youth and vigor are meaningless (Eccl. 11:10).

The rich are not happy.

Whoever loves money never has enough, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income (Eccl. 5:10). Some of the richest people in the world are divorced. Contrary to conventional wisdom, wealth does not equal happiness. The abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep (Eccl. 5:12b).

The fool is not wrong.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Today, somehow, people we’d call crazy or on the fringe are speaking out about what’s right and making predictions that are coming true. In some ways they seem to see the world more accurately than those we esteem as learned. The fool is not wrong.

The king is a slave

In royal disguise;

In other words, those who are supposed to lead us, both those we elect and those we don’t, we see caving. The king, says conventional wisdom, is supposed to be this strong leader, someone we can look up to and depend on, like David or King Arthur.

Of course there have been corrupt leaders throughout history. The point is this: There may be pomp and grandeur, but in reality the one we should highly esteem is enslaved to the loudest voice.

O what under the sun

Makes us think we are wise?

Nothing is as it should be. We think we know how things work, but we don’t. In actuality, no one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they can’t comprehend it (Eccl. 8:17).

Proverbs in many ways is how the world should work. Work hard. Live righteously. Be humble. Honor those above you.

Ecclesiastes is a dose of reality. Work hard, but you’ll die one day, and you can’t take it with you. Live with integrity, but that’s no guarantee you’ll live prosperously. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment (Eccl. 11:9).

We’re not as wise or strong as we think we are. We’re not invincible, and those we trust may betray us. The world of Proverbs and the world of Ecclesiastes (and Job, for that matter) seem like two different, if not conflicting realities. One fills us with hope and is full of instruction; the other puts it in perspective.

This probably isn’t news to most of us, but it can still be depressing. As I was trying to figure out how to end this post, I thought of how Ecclesiastes ends: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).

Fear God and obey Him. We can’t rely on our world to make sense, but we serve a God who’s consistent and faithful. We may not understand everything about Him, but as we read His Word and look at people and situations through His eyes, He can help us make sense of our world.