2 I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" (NASB)
This is good verse to show how important it is to take a verse in its context to understand what's being said. Solomon is not saying that laughter or pleasure are sinful things. God himself laughs (Psalm 2:4; 37:13), and laughter is counted as a blessing from God (Genesis 21:6). It's even the meaning of Isaac's name. As for "pleasure," it's the word used in the Bible for the rejoicing that God's people enjoy when they keep his festivals and holidays.
But in the context of Solomon's quest for God's wisdom, fun as a thing must be set to one side. Whether such fun is "laughter" or the "pleasure" of a celebration, it is not the point of life. It's a blessing, like so many things, but it's not our goal. Our goal is Godly wisdom, the wisdom that is about God. It's also a wisdom that only comes from God. And that faith-wisdom accomplishes everything, because it connects us to Jesus.
But in the context of Solomon's quest for God's wisdom, fun as a thing must be set to one side. Whether such fun is "laughter" or the "pleasure" of a celebration, it is not the point of life. It's a blessing, like so many things, but it's not our goal. Our goal is Godly wisdom, the wisdom that is about God. It's also a wisdom that only comes from God. And that faith-wisdom accomplishes everything, because it connects us to Jesus.
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