A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. Ecc 7:1-6

It is so easy to go through life without thinking about the big picture. We can go through life without giving a second thought to what is beyond the immediate. Eat, drink and be merry…without remembering that tomorrow we die. It is more important that we understand our eternal destiny, rather than fill our time with the fleeting pleasures of this life.

With this in mind, are we wise enough to accept the rebuke of those wiser than us, or are we more apt to listening to fools who massage our egos? Do we truly understand wisdom? Are we seeking godliness, through knowing God through his word and applying it to our lives?

When Nehemiah learned of the state of his homeland, he wept bitterly and prayed. However, he didn’t leave it at that. He formulated a plan of action, which involved the costs and risks involved, that he presented to the king at the right moment – discreetly, when he was relaxed, as demonstrated by the presence of the queen. It was important that all these factors were considerd.

If he approached the king about his homeland, without having a plan of action, he would’ve fallen at the first hurdle if the king required details. If he didn’t present anything to the king, nothing would’ve happened. Finally, if he didn’t choose his moment carefully, ths king might not have listened to him – one of the better possiblilities.

Even with all these factors taken into account, Nehemiah was afraid. After all, this was an absolute monarch who had every ability on earth to deal with anyone in any way he wished.

Like Nehemiah, we need to pray to God to seek the will of God in all we do. Likewise, if we determine that we desire to do what the will of God is through his word, we need to act upon our prayers.