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Yesterday, I summarized Ecclesiastes 7, so today I am going to going to break it down a bit more, as each verse causes pause on its own.
 1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
       and the day of death better than the day of birth.
This starts out in a rather interesting way.  Back in those days, perfume wasn’t simply something we wore to smell nice, but because people didn’t want to stink.  In other words, a good name is more important than making sure you don’t stink, because if your character stinks, then who cares how good you smell?
 1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
       and the day of death better than …

Ecclesiastes 7 is extremely interesting to me.  It contains a perspective on life and death that people just aren’t taught, that we should live in righteousness, but without denying our sinful nature.  In fact, hold on to it, because the circumstances of life in which we sin were put there by God, and by those situations we grow.  If we overcome them, we become more like Him.  If we don’t, then we don’t.

I do not believe this means that we are live in sin, but that we live in the knowledge of the sin we would commit.  From that perspective, there are aspects of live that are not sinful per se, but are only there because we have a sinful …

Proverbs 15:9
The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
Therefore, I pursue righteousness, because even if I only gain a little rightousness…
Proverbs 16:8
Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
because…
Proverbs 16:12
Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.
and…
Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
So…
Proverbs 25:5
remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

Proverbs 13:6
Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
Proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
On a personal level, righteousness has the benefit of guarding me.  God credits me with righteousness, and I am guarded.  Guarded against what?  Well based on observation, I am still allowed to go through difficult, even painful, circumstances.  However, I appear to go through those with some kind of protection.  I don’t know what it is based on mere observation.  However, based on my relationship with God and what the scriptures tell me, I know it is Him.  Proverbs 13:6 tells me that to whatever extent I am righteous, I am protected, and I know from Abraham …