“Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time?” Ecclesiastes 7:16-17

Over-the-Top

Is there someone you consider a super-saint? If so, you probably think this because they say the right things at the right time, they have a godly attitude, or they have visible giftings which they use to serve the Lord. They never seem to fall to temptation; they are morally and spiritually disciplined; they know the Word very well and are able to recall scripture as needed.

Some might call such a person “overly righteous.” This bothered Solomon, who wrote the verse above. He was apparently against anyone spending inordinate amounts of time pursuing anything “overly.” His own pursuit of “knowing everything” (“And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven…” Ecclesiastes 1:13a) ended with him realizing he knew almost nothing, and he was rather depressed about it.

I pondered this. Wicked is wicked; how can one be “merely” wicked, and not “overly” wicked? Righteousness and wisdom are good things, so how can being “overly” righteous or wise be destructive?

I began to recall people in the Bible who lived in the extremities, what we might call “overly righteous.” John the Baptist, various prophets, Noah, Moses, Paul. These men were zealously living out the call of God, with little or no thought for their own comfort and ease. They were “overly” everything, and for some, their zealousness cost them their lives.

You may differ in your interpretation of these verses, but I think Solomon was promoting moderation and balance in life. And I think to some degree he got it wrong.

He said to be “overly” is to have your life shortened. But is it our goal to live long lives? Or is our goal to live a life sold out to Jesus? To live zealously, fully committed and submitted to the Father, radically following, going where He leads, doing all that He enables? Isn’t our goal to have a life lived in the very presence of God, with the Holy Spirit in us stirring up His fullness and abundance, giving us an over-the-top willingness to be all He has enabled us to be? To live the cup-runneth-over life, the no-turning-back life, walking in the power of God to see all of what He can do, all of what He wants to show us?

His wonders, His glory, His might, His beauty, His power, His miracles, His hands, His countenance. His thoughts, secrets, plans, purposes—these are what we should zealously desire to see. I know I can’t fully know all this in this life, but I pursue it. I do not want to live in balance and moderation—at least not in my spirit.

We miss the moments with Him. We are looking away, busy protecting ourselves, saving ourselves, comforting ourselves, making our lives easier, our paths straighter, planning our future. Most of us would never dare to “give it all away” and then ask God, “Now what should I do?”

My desire is to hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness. I know, I hear you saying, “That won’t pay the bills.” OK, yes, work is honorable and necessary, and is God’s provision for us. But desiring God feeds our souls in a way that no other pursuit can. I want to burn with passion for Him.

Fire of God, ignite us. Burn off the dross, and let us shine. Amen!