Clutching at Foolishness

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once pointed out that “everyone’s looking for good sex, good food, and a good laugh because they’re little islands of relief in what’s often a painful existence.”

That isn’t new to our day. Solomon decided to seek out laughter as well. He probably brought in the finest comedians of the day. Maybe acrobats, magicians, and illusionists performed for him too. But in the end, he concluded that it all was empty.

He wrote, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” (Ecclesiastes 2:2 NLT).

Then Solomon thought that maybe he could find the answer in alcohol. If he just started drinking, perhaps in his altered state he would be a happy person. He said, “After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world” (verse 3 NLT).

Drinking has become a very common thing now, and people, especially young people, think going out and having cocktails is a cool thing to do. But it isn’t cool. In fact, the Bible warns, “Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise” (Proverbs 20:1 NLT).

Solomon tried it all. He went on a building binge, constructing massive houses, mansions, and palaces. And he recognized the emptiness of life without God.

Maybe there have been times in your life when everything seemed to click. There was that beautiful star-filled night or that gorgeous sunset, and you thought, “This is it. If only life could be this way!”

But those are just glimpses; each glimpse gives you a sense that it is what life ought to be like. However, you are never quite there, because you won’t find fulfillment in this world. You will find it only in a relationship with God.

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