Endless Study and Debate can be SO Exhausting!!
May 18, 2008 by jeanettesozpix
I just read this in Ecclesiastes.
“A wise teacher’s words spur students to action and emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of the wise are like guidance from a shepherd. But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting!” (Ecc. 12:11-12, NLT)
It reminded me of the time some of us spent recently, with the bunch of Atheists I mentioned about. We counted it a real privilege to start with, to be able to share our faith. These people wanted to know what we believed. So we shared… and shared … and shared… and debated… and debated … and debated…
Their reasoning was SO different to ours. They did not seem to want to accept the fact that God could be real. As we discovered there, “There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed.” It did become very exhausting… there was NO END to it. I felt like I was on a merry-go-round. I was giddy and I wanted to get off. So I did, and just left them going round in circles… and they’re STILL at it. I go back and visit from time to time, just to observe! They don’t seem to get anywhere!! 
I’m praying that the seed that we’ve sown, will germinate in some fertile soil, and that the Lord will bring them to the TRUTH!!
Anyhow, going back to the Scripture passage, Solomon finishes off:
“Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.” (Ecc. 12:13-14, NLT)
Endless debate can be exhausting. We are also warned about arguing with people, including nonbelievers. As much as possible, we are to live at peace with all people.
Remember, too, when reading Ecclesiastes, that Solomon was a grumpy old man by that time. Proverbs is filled with practical wisdom and teaching, but some of that same teaching he dismisses in Ecclesiastes as a giant waste of time. There’s a few gems throughout the book, but be careful with it. A life of pursuing empty pleasures left Solomon a little warped by the end of his life.