The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes: Goads

Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.
The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd. Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:9-12

The years like great black oxen tread the world, and God, the herdsman goads them on behind, and I am broken by their passing feet. ~ William Butler Yeats

Two things as we close Ecclesiastes...
First, and perhaps this is a minor thing, but look who is talking now. Or rather who is not. Suddenly the teacher is being talked about in closing, rather than being the speaker. The teacher we are told is wise and spoke the truth. So, here - and in other places apparently - there was much to be learned from him.
And then a bit about what wisdom does.  It is like a goad.
And as we've gone through the book, age also is a goad.
According to the dictionary, a goad is something that stimulates or annoys to provoke an action or reaction. It badgers us. Hounds us. 
Incites.
Prods.
And makes us grow. 
Change.
Learn.
Branch out.
So what goads you?
What goad has stimulated your faith?
What do you think about the idea that God annoys us to move us to action?
So what goads you?

Prayer: When you goad me, Lord, may I be moved to action. Amen

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