Be Serious!

"Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth" (Eccl. 7:2-4).

 

We live in a society of entitlement, and one thing to which we're "entitled" is pleasure. Yes, most of us work hard and have responsibilities, but we believe it is our right to have fun in life. We derive pleasure from sports and recreation, and the television shows and movies we watch allow us to escape from the realities of our humdrum lives. There are many Americans - perhaps most Americans - who shy away from any kind of serious discussion, and who prefer humor and fantasy over the moral, spiritual and eternal truths that are pressing against them (whether they realize it or not).

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a good joke and I'm NOT suggesting that a sense of humor is a character flaw. If you enjoy a television show or movie (assuming it's moral), that's fine. But in the passage cited above, Solomon says something that we as Americans should take to heart.

 

It's not that humor and fantasy are inherently wrong, but not only should our lives be rooted in reality, we must use the serious and somber moments of life to reflect upon spiritual lessons. A serious conversation about God's word is not something that we should avoid. Sharing in someone's grief is not only good for them, it's good for us as well. It is important to reflect upon the brevity of life, the inevitability of death, and the frailty of the human body relative to the incorruptibility and limitlessness of the Almighty God. It is at these moments that we draw closer to God.

 

A comedy-routine or an epic fantasy novel might be entertaining - and it's okay to be entertained - but Solomon, by inspiration, tells us that there is more to gain spiritually from being serious. Stop using Hollywood, music and sports to escape from reality - come back to the real world from time to time and be serious.