Do not be overrighteous,

    neither be overwise—
    why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked,
    and do not be a fool—
    why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one
    and not let go of the other.
    Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. Ecclesiastes 7:16-18

            Jesus was perfect.  Was He over-righteous?   He was all righteous (living right with God).  We can always be more righteous, more right with God since we fall so short of that all the time.

            Solomon in this passage is pointing to the person who thinks he is “too good” for others, living above others, arrogantly, or believes he is much smarter than other people.

            The temptation for those who seek righteousness and wisdom for the wrong reasons is that they think they are better than other people.

            Those “extremes” are futility (I’ll never be good enough/I’ll never be smart enough) and superiority (I’m better than others/I’m smarter than others).  Don’t live like either of those.

            Jesus was the perfect mixture of humility and servanthood, plus wisdom and righteousness.  Live like that.