by Kevin Burton
At a commencement ceremony in Columbus years ago I heard the speaker admonish us to not “confuse what is clever with what is wise.”
That stuck with me.
Some of the commercials I endure while watching the NFL on Sundays are clever. But there is very little wisdom to be had there.
The cleverness/wisdom question came back to me after my wife Jeannette shared with me a message from the Bible app.
Those commercials promise us the good life, or at least a piece of it. They seek to define the good life for us and then tell us how to get it at a low, low price.
The Bible teaches that the good life can be found in Jesus Christ and nowhere else. If it doesn’t look that way to the world, it’s because the world is spiritually blind and also because some of us Christians walk around with sour faces.
Your parents got you dressed and ready and sent you out the door for your first day of kindergarten to nudge you in the direction of the good life. You haven’t stopped pursuing it from that day to this.
Here then is the Bible app message about what really is “the good life.”
“Everyone on earth is searching for a good and meaningful life. We all want our lives to matter—to be filled with purpose and fulfillment. But we often search for fulfillment and meaning through things that cannot fulfill us.”
“Many people try to find purpose in fame and admiration from other people. Others try to find fulfillment through material possessions. Still others pursue a good life through working hard and building security through wealth.”
“Unfortunately, none of those methods will bring true happiness or fulfillment in life. There will come a time when fame and fortune fades, when material possessions lose their charm, and when our security is no longer there.”
“Jesus says this is the way the enemy works. The thief tries to steal our attention away from what truly matters by distracting us with earthly things that we think will satisfy. But this way only ends in death and destruction. Jesus says there’s another way to find the good life.”
“In John 10, Jesus compares Himself to a good shepherd who cares for and feeds the sheep in His pasture. Jesus says that He is the gate for the sheep to enter into the courtyard. While speaking in metaphors, Jesus is saying that anyone who wants to gain true access to salvation must come through Him.”
“Jesus also says that it is through Him that we will find true life. It is only through trusting in Jesus and following Him that we can experience life to the fullest. Fulfillment and meaning come through following Jesus as our Shepherd, rather than following the world around us.”
“Take some time to think about the way you’re searching for fulfillment and meaning in your life. Are you finding it through material possessions, relationships, or success? Or are you following Jesus and trusting in Him to produce meaning and purpose in your life?”
“Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He wants to lead you into a fulfilled, abundant life. So continue to trust in Him and follow Him, because abundant life can only be found in Jesus.”
My favorite Old Testament book, Ecclesiastes, is all about what does and doesn’t ultimately satisfy.
The book was written by King Solomon, who had the wealth to pursue earthly pleasure on a scale that you will not reach, my friend. Do yourself a favor and read Ecclesiastes. It’s not terribly long.
In 12 chapters, Solomon tells us about his pursuit of the earthly delights he thought would bring pleasure.
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind,” Solomon wrote (Ecc. 1:14 NIV).
I invite you friend, to read the book, chose wisdom over cleverness and chasing after the wind, and follow Jesus to the good life.
Page 7 
Amen.
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