Yesterday it was my 30th birthday and I had an excellent day of relaxing with friends and family, shopping for new toys and scoffing loads of amazing food and drinks. Awesome. It was also great because I felt like the day was open rather than planned and we could make it up as we went along. Nothing was too fixed and it meant that I didn't have to plan everything carefully. I could just relax and we could do whatever we felt like doing.
This kind of switching off from careful planning though, is a break from the norm. Solomon knows how important good planning and hard work is, even with the unpredictability of life...
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
If you're able to invest time, energy or money into something or someone without losing hold of your other responsibilities before God, then go for it! Why not? Who knows what will happen? God does and he may well bring back a reward from what you did. I think of the time I spent leading a 'Romance Academy' for young people to explore the value of sex and relationships. Every now and again I get a text or meet up with someone whose life has been affected by it and they still want to keep in touch or ask for some guidance or just catch up together. Brilliant. It was an investment in people and I only get a little glimpse of what God did and is still doing because of it. Solomon says... 'Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.' (v1-2).
Solomon knows that life is unpredictable. Verse 3 talks about a tree falling. It will fall wherever it falls and we can't predict it. It's like this in life isn't it? So many things we can't predict or affect how they will turn out. And Solomon's response to this truth is to advise against idleness. If we're lazy, we'll miss out (v4). He then talks about how God is at work in all the unpredictability of life, working his creative power in all things (v5). It's a mystery and he likes to surprise us rather than let us see it all in advance so that we can learn to trust him completely. This still doesn't mean we can cop out and be lazy though. God is busy for us as an example of how we should also be at work as life unfolds. It's not stressful work though, if we're trusting him for in all that happens - good and bad.
A prayer - Father God, thank you that I can trust you completely because you are always good and you are in control of everything. Thank you that I can trust you even in the middle of horrible situations as well as when I'm having fun. Thank you that you're always working mysteriously in the unpredictability of life and that you have given me work to do for you too. Please help me to see the opportunities to invest and to live this life to the full - to enjoy it, not endure it. Amen!
Ecclesiastes 10:16-20
Ecclesiastes 10:16-20
Have you noticed how many people are all too quick to complain about things not being good enough but they're the last ones to volunteer to do something to help make things better? Have you ever noticed yourself displaying this attitude at times? I certainly spot it in my words sometimes. It's easy to join in complaining, especially about those who have authority over us at work, school, college, uni, or outside these places too. Yet if we really cared about the things we moan about, surely we would be the first to jump in with ideas to change things! Sadly, if we're honest - we're plain lazy. We hate the idea of hard work and enjoy griping whereas we ought to be able to enjoy working hard and hate the idea of griping.
Solomon knows the bottom line is if you want things to change, then you're probably the best person to do something about it. Being lazy won't get things done. In fact, it just makes matters worse and then you've got even more to complain about. It's an endless downward cycle.
Through laziness and idle hands, the rafters sag and the house leaks (v18).
Through laziness and idle hands, the king's rule can be leaky too (v16-17).
Through laziness and idle hands, no questions get answered and nothing gets better (v19-20).
A prayer - Lord please help me not to complain unless I'm prepared to do something about it to help. Please help me to stand out as someone who brings solutions and not problems, hope instead of despair, love instead of hate...
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
(A prayer of St Francis)
Ecclesiastes 10:12-15
The way we talk is important. Solomon knows it and for him it's one of the most obvious ways to tell whether a person is wise or stupid...
In my job interview I was asked about my language and the way I speak to young people. I had spent a few minutes outlining the importance of identifying with youth culture and relating to young people and then the panel asked me about my language and how I would relate to young people in school when they're casually swearing. Eek!
The answer I gave was about Ephesians 4:29... 'Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.' I told them this is the standard I want to aim for in all my talk with others and especially with my work with young people. They seemed impressed with my answer. Phew!
Of course, that was the easy bit! I knew what I should say in the interview and although I was being sincere and honest, I knew that living it out in practice would be a lot harder to do! Can I really say that I only speak when it's to say things that I know will benefit those who hear me? No way! My mouth runs away with itself sometimes and I find myself rambling on about all sorts of rubbish - even when I'm trying desperately to help someone! Sometimes the best thing for me to do in order to wisely help someone is to just shut up!
I think Solomon gives us 3 ideas about wise people and their words:
- They are gracious. Selfless talk not selfish talk. They do others good (v12)
- They are controlled. Not running away into sin (v13)
- They are to the point and not aimless. (v14)
'If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything' - Mark Twain.
A prayer - Lord, help me to honour you with my words and to be wise and not stupid! Amen!
Ecclesiastes 10:5-11
More observations from Solomon about things being topsy-turvy in this world and people who have authority don't often seem to want to set things right. In fact, a lot of the time, people with power make things worse by keeping things upside-down and back-to-front for their own gain or because they don't care or understand that anything is wrong. What do we do with that?!
Ecclesiastes 10:5-11
Solomon's observations of authority in this section are mainly negative:
Solomon's comments on work are mainly negative too and he seems to have an unhealthy paranoia about work-related accidents:
A prayer - Lord, in this topsy-turvy sinful world, the odds are stacked against me but thank you that you are more powerful than sin and you can help me to do all that you've called me to do for you. Please give me all the strength, skill and charm that I need to serve you today and help me not to be apathetic but instead to be raring to go for you because you are stronger than anything that will come against me. Amen!
Ecclesiastes 10:5-11
Solomon's observations of authority in this section are mainly negative:
- People in authority get it wrong (v5)
- Idiots with nothing are put in charge over wise people who have worked for their wealth (v6)
- Slaves are honoured and royalty disgraced (v7)
Solomon's comments on work are mainly negative too and he seems to have an unhealthy paranoia about work-related accidents:
- People who dig holes might fall in (v8)
- People who break through walls might be bitten by snakes (v8)
- People who work with rocks might be injured by them (v9)
- People who work with logs might be in danger (v9)
A prayer - Lord, in this topsy-turvy sinful world, the odds are stacked against me but thank you that you are more powerful than sin and you can help me to do all that you've called me to do for you. Please give me all the strength, skill and charm that I need to serve you today and help me not to be apathetic but instead to be raring to go for you because you are stronger than anything that will come against me. Amen!
Ecclesiastes 10:1-4
Solomon breaks into lists of wise ponderings now and again and the first part of chapter 10 seems to be one of these times...
Ecclesiastes 10:1-4
A prayer - Lord, thank you for showing me something of who you are. Thank you that I can know you for myself. But I don't want to stop knowing you more and more. There's so much of you that I haven't even seen or heard of or experienced and I want to know you more. I want to know your character and to have more of it as my own. I want to be like you, to be wise like you. Please guide me and show me more of you and your wisdom. Amen!
Ecclesiastes 10:1-4
- It only takes a little stupidity to overthrow, undo or wreck the hard work of wisdom (v1). Breaking a window is easier than repairing it. Saying harsh things is easier that building someone up (especially when harsh things are funny)! Foolishness is like sewage. Add a drop of it to a gallon of water and you get a gallon of sewage! Foolishness is easy. Wrecking things is easy.
- Wisdom is opposite of stupidity and so wise people will inevitably live and behave very differently from people who are being stupid (v2). Stupidity is obvious but wisdom is less so (v3). It's harder to see the work of wisdom and even harder to see the impact it has. It takes time. On the other hand the work and impact of stupidity is often quick and obvious straight away.
- Staying calm while others get angry will help make things right (v4). In the next section, Solomon will talk about when authorities establish things upside-down and put idiots in charge of the wise. He knows how easy it is to get caught up in the anger of people being rash and stupid. He knows it's possible and much better to stay calm knowing that God is in charge and no matter who's angry at us, we can still trust him and be calm. This will help us to set matters right if there's an opportunity. Getting angry like an idiot will only make matters worse.
A prayer - Lord, thank you for showing me something of who you are. Thank you that I can know you for myself. But I don't want to stop knowing you more and more. There's so much of you that I haven't even seen or heard of or experienced and I want to know you more. I want to know your character and to have more of it as my own. I want to be like you, to be wise like you. Please guide me and show me more of you and your wisdom. Amen!