Ecclesiastes 7:1-6 7 A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one’s birth; 2 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. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise Than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
SOAP – Ecclesiastes 7:1 Solomon confronts the reality of death, by stating that the day one dies is better than the day a person is born. He also states that a good name and reputation is better than expensive treasure. For believers, this is true. On the day of our birth, we are born into sin and grow up in a fallen world that rejects God and His Son. But at our earthly death, believers enter Heaven where sin ceases to exist, where there is no hurt, sorrow, or pain, and where we spend eternity forever. A believer’s name and established identity in Christ is as the daughter of the King, as God’s masterpiece, His redeemed, and His precious possession. Our identity in Christ is truly better than the most expensive treasure.