Wisdom to share

Ecclesiastes 7: 11–12

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter,but the advantage of knowledge is this:
    Wisdom preserves those who have it.

I once stood in the middle of a busy Toronto subway station during rush hour. I closed my eyes just for a moment and tried to listen, not just to the announcements or the screeching brakes, but to everything. Footsteps. Conversations. Music leaking from someone’s earbuds. The flick of a newspaper. Arguments. Laughter. It was overwhelming. Now imagine trying to say something meaningful in that noise. Something people would stop and listen to. Something worth saying. That’s the world we live in, so much noise, so little wisdom. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says, “There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” But how do we know the difference? In an age of social media debates, political division, war, and cultural confusion, how do we speak with truth, love, and clarity, without adding to the noise? We need wisdom. Not just cleverness. Not slogans or outrage. Biblical wisdom, the kind that cuts through indifference and brings healing to conflict. Let’s be honest. We live in an age where everyone talks, but few really listen. Ecclesiastes 10:14 warns: “A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?” The Preacher in Ecclesiastes saw it all: politics, power, wealth, foolish kings, and empty talk. And he realized: more words don’t mean more truth. We see this today:

• Politicians speak, but people trust them less.
• Celebrities tweet, but their influence is shallow.
• Even in churches, we can become echo chambers instead of places of discernment.

 
What does the world need? Wisdom, quiet, tested, God-centered wisdom. In Ecclesiastes 7:12, we read: “Wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” And in Ecclesiastes 9:17:  “The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.” Wise people speak, but they speak differently:

• Not to dominate, but to guide.
• Not to impress, but to illuminate.
• Not always first, but often most lasting.

 
Let me tell you about Miriam, a woman in our church years ago. She was quiet. She didn’t post online. She didn’t argue. But when someone in our congregation lost a child, it was Miriam who went and sat with them for hours in silence. And when she finally said something, it was just this: “You’re not alone.” Those four words had more weight than a hundred sermons. Because they came from wisdom, born from Scripture, prayer, and suffering. The whole book of Ecclesiastes builds up to this one conclusion (12:13): “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Here’s what that means for us:

• Fear God, Live with reverence. Let His holiness shape how you see yourself and others.
• Keep His commandments, let Scripture, not culture or emotion, determine what you say and how you live.

 
True wisdom isn’t about being the smartest in the room. It’s about being anchored in God’s truth and shaped by His heart. And that wisdom changes how we speak in the world:

• It tempers anger.
• It opens room for humility.
• It puts love before winning an argument.
• It listens first, then speaks slowly (James 1:19).

 
We’re not just facing noise, we’re facing conflict and indifference. People are angry, or they’ve stopped caring. So how do we share truth in such a world?
 
A. Speak with empathy
Ecclesiastes teaches that time and chance happen to us all. Everyone you speak to is fighting a battle you may not see.
B. Speak with conviction
Don’t compromise the truth. But don’t use it as a hammer, use it as a light.
C. Speak with hope

Ecclesiastes is honest about life’s pain, but it still concludes that God is the Judge, which means there’s a bigger story, and that justice will come. So don’t let cynicism silence you. Let wisdom shape you.
 
In a noisy world, one of the wisest things you can do is stop, give thanks, and remember:

• God is still in control.
• His Word still gives light.
• His grace still sustains you.

 
Gratitude isn’t escapism. It’s resistance. It’s saying, “Though the world is noisy, I will pause and give thanks for the quiet mercies of God.”
 
How Can You Live Out This Wisdom?

1. Listen before you speak. This week, before responding to conflict, pause. Ask: Is this wise? Is this loving?
2. Soak in Scripture. Read a portion of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes daily. Let it shape your responses.
3. Choose a “quiet word.” Ask God to give you one word this week, a word of peace, encouragement, or truth, to share with someone who’s overwhelmed.
4. Give thanks daily. Keep a gratitude list this Thanksgiving weekend. Gratitude is the soil where wisdom grows.

 
Ecclesiastes doesn’t give us easy answers, but it gives us deep clarity: Fear God. Keep His commands. Speak wisely. Live humbly. And trust the Judge of all. You may not silence the noise of the world. But by God’s grace, you can speak light into its shadows. Amen.