Real Life by Peggi Tustan

Welcome to Real Life. What makes life meaningful? “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 If this was my teacher, I’d probably drop the class! Who is this jaded educator? He is generally accepted to be Solomon, son of David, King of Israel. [1] He is considered the wisest man who ever lived. In his latter years, Solomon ponders a lifetime of seeking fulfillment in power, projects, and pleasure. His vast wealth [2] enabled him to chase every dream, scratch every itch, and indulge every desire. What does he find at the end of his rainbow? Everything is meaningless. Some wonder how Ecclesiastes found its way into the holy writ. Had Solomon lost his faith? The key is recognizing his perspective. Most of the Bible is written from God’s eternal perspective. In Ecclesiastes, however, Solomon focuses primarily on our cradle-to-grave experience. Chasing every dream, scratching every itch, and indulging every desire is ...

Welcome to Real Life . “How could he be so stupid?” Dana's question referred to Samson, super-hero and mighty judge of Israel. No warrior or kingdom could conquer him. He was captured because of an area of weakness—a sexual dalliance with Delilah. [1] Even Superman has his kryptonite. King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. The whole world sought an audience with him to hear the wisdom God placed in his heart. [2]    The Queen of Sheba tested him with difficult questions; he answered them all. Solomon authored three biblical books of wisdom and poetry: Proverbs , Ecclesiastes , and Song of Solomon . " The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon"  However, even wise men make mistakes. Like Samson, Solomon had a weakness for foreign women. He espoused 700 wives and 300 concubines. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 1 ...