I know that many counsel against it. That for those who have studied such things, starting one’s day with one’s phone in hand isn’t recommended. But it’s what I do.

Alarm goes off and I head downstairs to make coffee. As I wait for the machine to warm up, the beans to grind, and the water to boil, I scroll. What happened yesterday? What are the headlines from overnight? With a quick read of the headlines from a couple of different sources, I can know at a high level what happened over the past few hours in the far east, the middle east, and the east coast. Rarely is it good news, but somehow, I feel good knowing the news. Or do I?

Something I read this morning in Ecclesiastes has me noodling on that question?

I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

(Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 ESV)

If ever there was a modern culture that could empathize with Israel’s ancient king, it’s ours. We know a lot. Well, maybe not us personally, but with our devices ever present, ever ready, and seemingly ever able to answer every “Hey, Siri” question, you could argue we have a lot of “wisdom” and a ton of “knowledge” at our fingertips. From geopolitical dynamics anywhere in the world, to just-in-time knowledge of how to perfectly pan fry a steak, we can know it all. Anything we want to know, we can know. Anything we want to “apply our hearts” to our streaming devices, like a great genie, respond with, “Your query is my command.” And says Solomon, with all that information at our fingertips, it can bring much vexation and increases sorrow.

Vexation and sorrow. Frustration and grief. Trouble and hurt. Abundance of sadness and pain. That’s what you get, says the Preacher, when you think you can know it all.

I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

(Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 ESV)

Solomon wanted to discern it all and experience it all. And, given the size of his world at the time, and the size of his bank account and the almost unlimited storehouse of his resources, he pretty much did see everything that is done under the sun. And all it did was leave him unhappy. The more he knew the more it felt like he was “spitting into the wind” (MSG). You get the sense that knowing it all yielded more cynicism than it did satisfaction. Produced more inner convulsions than contentment. More headaches than happiness.

How come? At the least, I think, it’s because we were never designed to be all-knowing. Omniscience is reserved for One. Wanting to know all that He knows is what got us into trouble in the first place (Gen. 3:1-7).

But perhaps just as importantly, vexation and sorrow are the fruit of knowledge which is processed solely with an “under the sun” filter. Solomon’s wisdom was earthly wisdom. The Preacher’s knowledge was a worldly knowledge. What this son of David lacked was an anchor tethering all the data he had collected under the sun to what was going on “above the sun.”

In the circles where I circulate, there’s a lot of talk these days about having a “biblical worldview” — the need to see life through a scriptural lens. I’m all for that. We need that. But as I chew on Solomon’s under the sun lament this morning, I wonder if we need something more. If in addition to having the right worldview, we also need to have our minds firmly grounded in the right unworldly venue.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

(Colossians 3:1-2 ESV)

We’ve been raised with Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). Our life is hidden with Christ in God. Though still earthbound our being is no longer earth constrained. Thus, for whatever we know, for all that know, it should be interpreted within the context of things that are above, not within the constraints of what is under the sun.

We are subjects of a kingdom which is not of this world, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Php. 3:20). And thus, what we know, and all we know, we should know within the reality of waiting for a Savior who’s already won the battle and is coming again soon in victory.

Thus, we can declare, “Vexation, be gone!” For we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37). “Sorrows, cease!” For we consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom. 8:18).

Yeah, we know a lot under the sun. Maybe too much. But in heavenly places we possess a lot, are promised a lot, and will soon inherit a lot. So, rejoice, dear brother. Put away fear, dear sister.

For with heavenly wisdom there is much hope. And we who increase in heaven-filtered knowledge should increase also “with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1Peter 1:8-9 KJV).

That’s at least part of what it is to have knowledge grounded in heavenly places.

Isn’t it?

I’m thinkin’ . . .

By His grace. For His glory.