The House of Mourning

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.. Ecclesiastes 7:4

Was there any man who knew the grace of God better than David? yet he tells us he made his bed to swim in tears. So many believe Christians should always smile. I do not understand such reasoning. Life itself teaches us otherwise.

Some examples. Did Paul go around with a grin? Are the great men in the Bible laughing people? Was not our Lord Himself a man of sorrows?

Yet we have before us laughing preachers and laughing congregations. Who are they emulating, and who are they fooling? Rejoice. I do. We all should. But in the midst of tears.

McGee tells of a young preacher who was a sensation. Yet an older man was not impressed. The young preacher's son died. The older man said, "Now I can hear him." The young preacher was now mature. He had learned wisdom. He could offer comfort to his flock from his experience with sorrow.

We are immersed in a laughing country, especially where I moved to. People tend to laugh all the time. Many think they are comedians. Have they yet to learn?

If sorrow is a gauge of wisdom, I must be getting wise. I wish there was another way to measure it.