Today we will look at Chapters 4 and part of Chapter 5.
Since the beginning of time people have been grieved to see the oppression and injustice that is carried out by men against their fellowmen. It tormented Solomon also. He saw that power was on the side of the 'oppressors' and no one dared to do much about it. And so he makes a stunning remark. He says the dead are better off and the unborn are even better than the dead, because they will not have to experience evil, crime and persecution.What I find interesting here is that he is not concerned with the deeper implications of death-that a person who dies in unbelief is doomed to more severe suffering in eternity, than the worst oppression he may have experienced on earth. He questions the quality of life after birth, rather than life after death and it's implications.
Another thing that seemed to drive him crazy was for humans wanting to outdo each other.There was this competitive spirit to do better and better. It all seemed so empty (when you stop to think that God put us on this earth for HIS purpose, not our purpose). When Michelangelo and Raphael were commissioned to paint the Vatican murals, they were so competitive with each other(although they were doing different jobs) that at the end, they were not speaking to each other.You can see even these geniuses were driven by jealousy and rivalry. We see it in today's society where everyone is trying to outdo the other--but actually no one really cares... Just do your own thing and try to be as happy as you can. He gives the example of someone who doesn't have a son nor a brother, no family, yet he works so hard to keep gaining more riches. He has no one to leave it to. He gives up so much in the present, that Solomon finds this pointless and depressing. On the other hand it drives him nuts to see the sluggard, the fool who doesn't want to work and would rather starve. The one who feels it's better to be lazy and have others support you. Don't we see this amongst us? People wanting handouts? Wealth distribution? Our government has encouraged and enabled some of this behavior, in my opinion, to the detriment of our society. When my family and I moved to this country we started from the bottom and my parents were in their late 50's, they never asked the government for anything, we made do with what we had and worked. With no language. We all learned English and took whatever job we had to take and moved on from there.
I have seen both scenarios where marriages have fallen apart and ended in divorce. The one because of a lazy husband and lack of money and the other having no lack and plenty of money , but no time for the family. As you can see, Solomon keeps making these opposite observations. Some are positive and some are negative. So, what are we to do? You can see that nothing is new "under the sun".What he is talking about from 3000 years ago are the same problems we face today. One thing that we need to keep in mind is that, if we believe that God is in control, than some of these things may be more bearable. Some things we can change because we are in control, but others we cannot. When our health fails us and we cannot fix it, are we in control? When one spouse walks out of a marriage and the other cannot stop it, who is in control? When a child dies, how is the parent in control? we obviously have very little control in our lives, although we may believe the contrary.
So, let's see what else he talks about. He says two are better than one. Together we can accomplish more things and can help each other. He points out the advantages of partnership and fellowship.I think that he is trying to convey that there are pleasures and benefits from friendships that may be unknown to those living in isolation. I remember years ago when I fell at work and I was all by myself, late in the evening, no one to help me. Fortunately, I was able to compose myself and get up and limp back to my desk (no I did not sue the company). I was lucky that time. The point is that if I had broken a bone and could not have gotten up, I probably would have been on the floor until the next morning.
Last thing he brings up here is that it is better to be a poor but wise young person, than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. Haven't we all had the 'honor' of being in the presence of a "know-it-all"? Aren't they annoying? But, most of all the problem is that they have a closed mind and will never learn. On the other hand, someone poor and young and teachable with an open mind can succeed and even become the leader of a nation, because he is willing to learn and take proper advice. People are eager to help him. I wonder if Solomon is maybe thinking of his own father, King David, who was a poor, 17 year old shepherd boy who became king of Israel. (That story maybe for another time).
In Chapter 5 he talks about some universal principles.
1) Don't make promises to God that you cannot keep. That goes for anyone we make a promise to . If we promise and then don't do what we said we would do, it makes us a liar, and that is a sin, in God's eyes. And, don't make excuses as to why you did not follow through. You know sometimes we promise things when we are in a bind or a tight, desperate situation. "God, if you get me out of this, I'll serve you forever". But then the tendency is to forget quickly when the crisis is past. Haven't you ever been there? Am I the only one? He goes as far as to say that, this behavior angers God, and this will inevitably cause Him to obstruct, frustrate, and destroy everything you are trying to do. My dad used to do business with a handshake, his partner's did not need 'paperwork' and contracts, what he promised, he would deliver.
2)Dreaming instead of doing is foolishness, and he says that "there is ruin in a flood of empty words". I suppose he is saying that if you have a dream you must set goals and pursue your dream by doing something towards it's success, otherwise nothing will happen. We just finished watching the Olympic athletes and how hard they trained for 4 years for a chance to win a gold medal. I have been watching the America's Got Talent show, same idea. All the contestants who want to be famous as singers, acrobats, dancers, magicians, whatever, have been practicing and honing their skills since they were little boys and girls. Nothing happens overnight, it takes time and effort.
We'll finish up chapter 5 next time, until then have a Great Week!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Part 5--Ecclesiastes
OK, let's pick up where we left off.
8) A time to hug and a time not to hug. There are times when we are happy to see certain people, and we hug and kiss. A hug is very therapeutic. We hug people when they are going through tough times. We appreciate a hug when we are feeling down. We also hug our loved ones. There are times that a hug may not be appropriate, for them or for you.
9) A time to find and a time to lose. He may be talking about finding love, or a new friendship, or even about financial gains or loses. One day stocks are up, next day they may lose their value. I was watching 20/20 the other night, and they were interviewing people who had won Mega lotteries. Some were doing very well, others had lost all of their fortune within a very short time. Winning all that money had changed their lives in positive as well as negative ways. Some were being sued for that money.
10) A time to keep and a time to throw away. Again he may be talking about material things or relationships. Some personal items have sentimental value for me and I cannot part with, and yet other things I can't wait to give away or throw away. Make room for new. My husband likes to keep things and I can tell he really stresses out when he is forced to let go, but he has gotten better over the years. We sometimes hold on to old beliefs, habits and hurts. However, there is a time to let go and throw out the "trash". We throw out the trash weekly, why not also clear out our minds and throw away the baggage we keep carrying around. The longer we keep it the heavier it gets.
11) A time to tear and a time to repair. Well, some things are not repairable-they need to be torn down. Again, it could be a building, but also it could be a relationship--sometimes they are beyond repair, no matter how much you try to fix them. Maybe King Solomon was thinking of the constant change in clothing fashions? Hems are let out or shortened all the time. It is true, if you wait 30 years fashions come around, some of the clothes and shoes in fashion today are what we wore in the 70's. We live in a throw away society. Nobody seems to like the old. But the old can be beautiful and worth keeping. I remember my mother mending socks and pantyhose....or a dress or a skirt. Today we go get new ones, who wants to wear 'repaired' things. We seem to be constantly remodeling our homes. We are obsessed with changing the color of the walls, getting rid of carpets for the new tile or wood floors. The kitchens and bathrooms are always updated. All of this is a good thing as long as we don't overdo it, overextend ourselves or put all of our energy and effort on this area.
12) A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. You need to speak up for your rights and the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves. But, there is also a time to keep quiet, if it will avoid unnecessary confrontation or an argument. It's OK to speak your opinion, but on the other hand your opinion may not be shared with others, or doesn't mean it is the right one, because it is yours. By being quiet you can listen and learn from the others. Some people like to speak and make a lot of noise, that says absolutely nothing. When we speak too much we don't learn anything and we cannot hear ourselves think or listen to God, and what he may be trying to tell us. It is important to be quiet and listen to your inner voice and the voice of God. Find a place where you can be quiet, away from all distractions.
13) A time to love and a time to hate. Well, two very powerful, strong words. King Solomon observed that human behavior fluctuates between periods of love and periods of hate. I do believe that today, we use these words very loosely. We say: I love ice cream, I love candy, or I love to dance or sing or whatever. I hate diets, exercise, driving in rush hour traffic, classical music etc.....Really? Do we dislike these things so much that we 'hate' them, or like them so much that we 'love' them? Does it mean that we love ice cream as much as we love our children, pets, parents? No, of course not. Love and hate are strong emotions that can be good or bad. They can lead to bliss and they can also lead to destruction. Some people are hateful of other cultures, ethnic backgrounds, religions. We have seen examples of these kind of people in the news lately. People can kill because of love or hate. Either way, the results are devastating. We must be careful of our emotions and actions because they have consequences..
14) A time for war and a time for peace. What is history, if it is not the record of cruel, mindless wars, interspersed with short terms of peace? Sometimes wars are necessary. Unfortunately, wars are going on right now in other parts of the world, where innocent people are killed and maimed. Peace is good, but to have peace, we must sometimes have to fight for it. Wars are not only fought with weapons but with other means as well. They may involve families, relatives, friends or neighbors. Like the Hatfields and the McCoys. Don't forget that we also are constantly battling spiritual warfare, between evil forces and good forces. Just because we cannot see it with our eyes doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. If we could see what is going on around us in a spiritual way, I believe it could be a pretty ugly picture.
So, there you have it, the 28 activities.....under the sun......The question that keeps lingering in King Solomon's mind is : what is the whole purpose of man's hard work and toil? He keeps coming back to that question. For every constructive activity, there is a destructive one. At the end, we are left with nothing. Or are we? The 14 positive works are cancelled out by the 14 negative ones.
However, he does realize that for each action there is a right/fitting time, and we all experience some or all the activities, one way or another. So, his instincts tell him that beyond this life there is the possibility of "forever". God has put eternity in man's mind. In spite of our enormous advances in knowledge, we still cannot figure out all that God has created. Solomon's advice (since we end up where we started, so to speak, and cannot figure out why), is to be happy where we are and enjoy each day, because it is a gift from God. There is a time for everything, even when it may not always be a pleasant experience.
He concludes this Chapter by saying that he is pained by all the injustice and wickedness of his time (does it not sound familiar?) and he is lead to believe that God will judge people, and all things that went unpunished will be made right. All living things, people as well as animals, share one common thing and that is Death itself. We all have one breath and at the time of death it is cut off, and we all return to dust, where we all came from. Just this morning I received an email about a former co-worker who passed away a few days ago, from pancreatic cancer. He was not much older than me and had a young family. I had not seen him since my retirement. So many people I have known have passed away, some older but many fairly young......why worry about social security and medicare? some people never even get there, and others linger on for a long time and they suffer from old age, dementia, and various ailments. Sometimes the lessons that must be learned are for their loved ones and sometimes for them, before they leave this earth.
Have a wonderful week.
8) A time to hug and a time not to hug. There are times when we are happy to see certain people, and we hug and kiss. A hug is very therapeutic. We hug people when they are going through tough times. We appreciate a hug when we are feeling down. We also hug our loved ones. There are times that a hug may not be appropriate, for them or for you.
9) A time to find and a time to lose. He may be talking about finding love, or a new friendship, or even about financial gains or loses. One day stocks are up, next day they may lose their value. I was watching 20/20 the other night, and they were interviewing people who had won Mega lotteries. Some were doing very well, others had lost all of their fortune within a very short time. Winning all that money had changed their lives in positive as well as negative ways. Some were being sued for that money.
10) A time to keep and a time to throw away. Again he may be talking about material things or relationships. Some personal items have sentimental value for me and I cannot part with, and yet other things I can't wait to give away or throw away. Make room for new. My husband likes to keep things and I can tell he really stresses out when he is forced to let go, but he has gotten better over the years. We sometimes hold on to old beliefs, habits and hurts. However, there is a time to let go and throw out the "trash". We throw out the trash weekly, why not also clear out our minds and throw away the baggage we keep carrying around. The longer we keep it the heavier it gets.
11) A time to tear and a time to repair. Well, some things are not repairable-they need to be torn down. Again, it could be a building, but also it could be a relationship--sometimes they are beyond repair, no matter how much you try to fix them. Maybe King Solomon was thinking of the constant change in clothing fashions? Hems are let out or shortened all the time. It is true, if you wait 30 years fashions come around, some of the clothes and shoes in fashion today are what we wore in the 70's. We live in a throw away society. Nobody seems to like the old. But the old can be beautiful and worth keeping. I remember my mother mending socks and pantyhose....or a dress or a skirt. Today we go get new ones, who wants to wear 'repaired' things. We seem to be constantly remodeling our homes. We are obsessed with changing the color of the walls, getting rid of carpets for the new tile or wood floors. The kitchens and bathrooms are always updated. All of this is a good thing as long as we don't overdo it, overextend ourselves or put all of our energy and effort on this area.
12) A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. You need to speak up for your rights and the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves. But, there is also a time to keep quiet, if it will avoid unnecessary confrontation or an argument. It's OK to speak your opinion, but on the other hand your opinion may not be shared with others, or doesn't mean it is the right one, because it is yours. By being quiet you can listen and learn from the others. Some people like to speak and make a lot of noise, that says absolutely nothing. When we speak too much we don't learn anything and we cannot hear ourselves think or listen to God, and what he may be trying to tell us. It is important to be quiet and listen to your inner voice and the voice of God. Find a place where you can be quiet, away from all distractions.
13) A time to love and a time to hate. Well, two very powerful, strong words. King Solomon observed that human behavior fluctuates between periods of love and periods of hate. I do believe that today, we use these words very loosely. We say: I love ice cream, I love candy, or I love to dance or sing or whatever. I hate diets, exercise, driving in rush hour traffic, classical music etc.....Really? Do we dislike these things so much that we 'hate' them, or like them so much that we 'love' them? Does it mean that we love ice cream as much as we love our children, pets, parents? No, of course not. Love and hate are strong emotions that can be good or bad. They can lead to bliss and they can also lead to destruction. Some people are hateful of other cultures, ethnic backgrounds, religions. We have seen examples of these kind of people in the news lately. People can kill because of love or hate. Either way, the results are devastating. We must be careful of our emotions and actions because they have consequences..
14) A time for war and a time for peace. What is history, if it is not the record of cruel, mindless wars, interspersed with short terms of peace? Sometimes wars are necessary. Unfortunately, wars are going on right now in other parts of the world, where innocent people are killed and maimed. Peace is good, but to have peace, we must sometimes have to fight for it. Wars are not only fought with weapons but with other means as well. They may involve families, relatives, friends or neighbors. Like the Hatfields and the McCoys. Don't forget that we also are constantly battling spiritual warfare, between evil forces and good forces. Just because we cannot see it with our eyes doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. If we could see what is going on around us in a spiritual way, I believe it could be a pretty ugly picture.
So, there you have it, the 28 activities.....under the sun......The question that keeps lingering in King Solomon's mind is : what is the whole purpose of man's hard work and toil? He keeps coming back to that question. For every constructive activity, there is a destructive one. At the end, we are left with nothing. Or are we? The 14 positive works are cancelled out by the 14 negative ones.
However, he does realize that for each action there is a right/fitting time, and we all experience some or all the activities, one way or another. So, his instincts tell him that beyond this life there is the possibility of "forever". God has put eternity in man's mind. In spite of our enormous advances in knowledge, we still cannot figure out all that God has created. Solomon's advice (since we end up where we started, so to speak, and cannot figure out why), is to be happy where we are and enjoy each day, because it is a gift from God. There is a time for everything, even when it may not always be a pleasant experience.
He concludes this Chapter by saying that he is pained by all the injustice and wickedness of his time (does it not sound familiar?) and he is lead to believe that God will judge people, and all things that went unpunished will be made right. All living things, people as well as animals, share one common thing and that is Death itself. We all have one breath and at the time of death it is cut off, and we all return to dust, where we all came from. Just this morning I received an email about a former co-worker who passed away a few days ago, from pancreatic cancer. He was not much older than me and had a young family. I had not seen him since my retirement. So many people I have known have passed away, some older but many fairly young......why worry about social security and medicare? some people never even get there, and others linger on for a long time and they suffer from old age, dementia, and various ailments. Sometimes the lessons that must be learned are for their loved ones and sometimes for them, before they leave this earth.
Have a wonderful week.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Part 4--Ecclesiastes
Almost 2 weeks have gone by since the Olympics started. I have watched quite a few of the events, my favorites being diving, gymnastics, swimming and track & field, although I have also enjoyed some of the other sports as well. This afternoon I watched the marathon. It was very interesting. The guy from Kenya was way ahead for the longest time until his friend, also caught up to him around the 22nd mile or so, and then right behind them was the guy from Uganda, an unknown, sort of. By the time they reached the 24th mile the Ugandan was ahead of both of them, and he actually got the gold. The guy who was first for the longest time got the bronze. You never know until the game is over.
Anyway, I am very proud of all the American athletes and all the medals they won. I get very inspired when I hear their stories. One thing that strikes me is their determination to win, and break world records, their passion for their sport and their ability to bounce back after a defeat or disappointment.They invest so much of themselves to their training, they are so dedicated. They make it look so easy and we know the long hours they have spent in the last 4 years to perfect their performance. For many athletes the result is an Olympic medal, with many endorsements to follow, for others, a last minute mishap and their dream is gone in a split second. In some faces we see the joy and in some we see the tears. All the training and sacrifice seems to have been for nothing, no reward at the end. Anyway, I am looking forward to watching the closing ceremony this evening (we are taping it)....
King Solomon, in this next chapter (3) makes some interesting observations about life and human behavior. His "research" concludes that there is a predetermined season for everything and a fixed time for every activity, "under the sun". Just like we have the 4 seasons, day/night, the moon, the sun, the earth and stars moving in a predetermined pattern, so is seems it is with our lives. It seems like man's behavior is determined by certain laws and principles and some things we cannot avoid in our lives. He gives us 28 "activities" which are made up of opposites. 14 are positive and 14 are negative. In some ways they seem to cancel out each other. He states that there is a right time for everything.
Here is the list:
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to harvest
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to destroy and a time to rebuild
A time to cry and a time to laugh
A time to grieve and a time to dance
A time for scattering stones and a time for gathering stones
A time to hug and a time not to hug
A time to find and a time to lose
A time for keeping and a time for throwing away
A time to tear and a time to repair
A time to be quite and a time to speak up
A time for loving and a time for hating
A time for war and a time for peace
So, what does he mean by all this? Let's just discuss the first 7 for now.
1) A time to be born and a time to die. We have no control when we are born or who our parents might be, and we don't know when, where and how we die---but, there is a time. One thing we have control over is to live our lives in a responsible, peaceful, purposeful way, until we die.
2) A time to plant and a time to harvest. He seems to be relating our lives to how a farmer or a gardener, for example, uses the seasons to plant and harvest, something easy we can understand. I enjoy gardening. When I plant certain seeds they have to be planted at a certain time of the year, spring or fall. If I plant them in the wrong time they do not produce fruit or flowers when they are supposed to. When I fail to observe these seasons in planting and harvesting, it spells disaster (which is often for me). Also, unless I plant something I won't have a harvest at all.The reason the Olympic athletes are great at what they do and get medals, is because they have put in the time and effort by practicing, so they will become good at it. They get their harvest. When we do a good deed, we will reap something good, when we do bad things, we reap bad things. Sometimes the harvest is immediate, sometimes it may take years, but it will come at the right time, when we need it most.
Some trees don't bear fruit for 5 years.
3) A time to kill and a time to heal. I can understand the healing part, but killing? What is he talking about? I had to do some research about it. Well, Bible commentators go to great lenghts to explain that, he certainly doen't mean murder. What he refers to is war, self-defense and capital punishement (I know many people oppose capital punishment, but I am not going to address opinions whether it is right or wrong-that is an individual belief). Sometimes war is necessary-we have seen it in history thru the years. Countries have attacked each other for centuries, since the beginning of time, and although we don't like aggressors, the oppressors must defend themselves in counter attack, in self-defense. Families go to "war" with each other, lovers kill over jealousy, not good, but it happens. Sometime we can "kill" with our words...The good thing is that with time we can heal. We can forgive and we can start over. Countries that used to be enemies become allies, friends who have had a falling out reconsile, couples who divorced can get back together.
4) A time to destroy and a time to rebuild. Many people destroy their lives with drugs or alcohol, debts, bad relationships, gambling and various other bad choices. Many can rebuild their lives and get out of the destruction they have gone thru. Many countries have been destroyed by war and have rebuilt. Many of our own cities in recent years have been destroyed and become deserted or turned into ghettos. Some have been demolished and builders come in and erect modern houses and buildings and rehabilitate the areas of blight.
5) A time to cry and a time to laugh. Life seems to alternate between tragedy and comedy. We cry when a loved one dies, when a relationship doesn't work out, when we lose our jobs, go thru divorce, have an illness that cannot be cured. The list is endless. So many things that will make us cry and yet our heart heals after a while. We do go back to enjoying life and laughing. I remember many instances when I have cried, but it is over, life goes on. We cannot get stuck in misery forever. It is not fair to us and to the people around us. Again, life has its ups and downs. we must deal with whatever comes our way. Sometimes it is not easy. Why would it be?
6) A time to grieve and a time to dance. Well, this goes along with the crying and the laughing,doesn't it? Grieving is important, but it is and should be temporary. We cannot go on grieving forever. What would be the purpose? The funeral procession passes by with it's wailing in grief. But, before long, these same people are dancing at a wedding reception, quickly removed from their recent sorrow. This is not to say we forget the one who is gone, but life does go on and sometimes we can memorialize their life by doing something good. For example, The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization, out of something bad, the death of a son, came something good.
7) A time for scattering stones and a time for gathering stones. This one I have trouble with. What is it telling us? There are different interpretations,some of which don't make sense to me..I'll have to do some more reading on it...
Until next time. Have a wonderful week.
Anyway, I am very proud of all the American athletes and all the medals they won. I get very inspired when I hear their stories. One thing that strikes me is their determination to win, and break world records, their passion for their sport and their ability to bounce back after a defeat or disappointment.They invest so much of themselves to their training, they are so dedicated. They make it look so easy and we know the long hours they have spent in the last 4 years to perfect their performance. For many athletes the result is an Olympic medal, with many endorsements to follow, for others, a last minute mishap and their dream is gone in a split second. In some faces we see the joy and in some we see the tears. All the training and sacrifice seems to have been for nothing, no reward at the end. Anyway, I am looking forward to watching the closing ceremony this evening (we are taping it)....
King Solomon, in this next chapter (3) makes some interesting observations about life and human behavior. His "research" concludes that there is a predetermined season for everything and a fixed time for every activity, "under the sun". Just like we have the 4 seasons, day/night, the moon, the sun, the earth and stars moving in a predetermined pattern, so is seems it is with our lives. It seems like man's behavior is determined by certain laws and principles and some things we cannot avoid in our lives. He gives us 28 "activities" which are made up of opposites. 14 are positive and 14 are negative. In some ways they seem to cancel out each other. He states that there is a right time for everything.
Here is the list:
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to harvest
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to destroy and a time to rebuild
A time to cry and a time to laugh
A time to grieve and a time to dance
A time for scattering stones and a time for gathering stones
A time to hug and a time not to hug
A time to find and a time to lose
A time for keeping and a time for throwing away
A time to tear and a time to repair
A time to be quite and a time to speak up
A time for loving and a time for hating
A time for war and a time for peace
So, what does he mean by all this? Let's just discuss the first 7 for now.
1) A time to be born and a time to die. We have no control when we are born or who our parents might be, and we don't know when, where and how we die---but, there is a time. One thing we have control over is to live our lives in a responsible, peaceful, purposeful way, until we die.
2) A time to plant and a time to harvest. He seems to be relating our lives to how a farmer or a gardener, for example, uses the seasons to plant and harvest, something easy we can understand. I enjoy gardening. When I plant certain seeds they have to be planted at a certain time of the year, spring or fall. If I plant them in the wrong time they do not produce fruit or flowers when they are supposed to. When I fail to observe these seasons in planting and harvesting, it spells disaster (which is often for me). Also, unless I plant something I won't have a harvest at all.The reason the Olympic athletes are great at what they do and get medals, is because they have put in the time and effort by practicing, so they will become good at it. They get their harvest. When we do a good deed, we will reap something good, when we do bad things, we reap bad things. Sometimes the harvest is immediate, sometimes it may take years, but it will come at the right time, when we need it most.
Some trees don't bear fruit for 5 years.
3) A time to kill and a time to heal. I can understand the healing part, but killing? What is he talking about? I had to do some research about it. Well, Bible commentators go to great lenghts to explain that, he certainly doen't mean murder. What he refers to is war, self-defense and capital punishement (I know many people oppose capital punishment, but I am not going to address opinions whether it is right or wrong-that is an individual belief). Sometimes war is necessary-we have seen it in history thru the years. Countries have attacked each other for centuries, since the beginning of time, and although we don't like aggressors, the oppressors must defend themselves in counter attack, in self-defense. Families go to "war" with each other, lovers kill over jealousy, not good, but it happens. Sometime we can "kill" with our words...The good thing is that with time we can heal. We can forgive and we can start over. Countries that used to be enemies become allies, friends who have had a falling out reconsile, couples who divorced can get back together.
4) A time to destroy and a time to rebuild. Many people destroy their lives with drugs or alcohol, debts, bad relationships, gambling and various other bad choices. Many can rebuild their lives and get out of the destruction they have gone thru. Many countries have been destroyed by war and have rebuilt. Many of our own cities in recent years have been destroyed and become deserted or turned into ghettos. Some have been demolished and builders come in and erect modern houses and buildings and rehabilitate the areas of blight.
5) A time to cry and a time to laugh. Life seems to alternate between tragedy and comedy. We cry when a loved one dies, when a relationship doesn't work out, when we lose our jobs, go thru divorce, have an illness that cannot be cured. The list is endless. So many things that will make us cry and yet our heart heals after a while. We do go back to enjoying life and laughing. I remember many instances when I have cried, but it is over, life goes on. We cannot get stuck in misery forever. It is not fair to us and to the people around us. Again, life has its ups and downs. we must deal with whatever comes our way. Sometimes it is not easy. Why would it be?
6) A time to grieve and a time to dance. Well, this goes along with the crying and the laughing,doesn't it? Grieving is important, but it is and should be temporary. We cannot go on grieving forever. What would be the purpose? The funeral procession passes by with it's wailing in grief. But, before long, these same people are dancing at a wedding reception, quickly removed from their recent sorrow. This is not to say we forget the one who is gone, but life does go on and sometimes we can memorialize their life by doing something good. For example, The Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization, out of something bad, the death of a son, came something good.
7) A time for scattering stones and a time for gathering stones. This one I have trouble with. What is it telling us? There are different interpretations,some of which don't make sense to me..I'll have to do some more reading on it...
Until next time. Have a wonderful week.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Part 3---Ecclesiastes
After having failed to find pleasure from intellectual pursuits, King Solomon now turns to the pursuit of pleasure. He starts by telling us that he tried to enjoy himself by trying drinking, starting projects to beautify his city and palaces, by acquiring more servants, by breeding his own herds and flocks, enjoying more music and more beautiful women (he had 700 wives and 300 concubines-1Kings 11:3). Just imagine the jealousy, gossip and backstabbing in such a harem. Did he suppose this was the way to happiness? And yet the delusion persists in our society that sex is a highway to happiness and fulfilment. As we know though, the abuse of sex leads only to misery and self-destruction. The abuse of anything leads to misery. But doesn't that sound like what goes on today? Don't we all get bored and dissatisfied with life at times and wish for something different? "If I only had this, or if I only became that, or what if I could change this or that....or became whatever...(you can fill in the blank)...only then I would be happy and complete.......As we watch the Olympics on TV, we see how hard the athletes train. Many go through challenges and hardships and overcome many obstacles. Yet they focus on this one dream; the opportunity for the Gold Medal. But sometimes comes the disappointment of something going wrong and their dream and anticipation of becoming #1 is lost. All the sacrifices they made for this one moment, gone in a split second! These men and women are amazing. They don't only train physically, but also mentally. They learn to stay cool, calm and collected in the moment of defeat. They learn to go forward. I am sure it is painful to lose, but this one area of their lives is not the only one to determine their happiness.
After experiencing all these things, Solomon stopped to evaluate it all and again this was his conclusion: it all seemed useless at the end. He had fleeting joy, but no lasting satisfaction. He got bored by it all. That is where our contemporary society is-in a hell of materialism, trying to satisfy the human heart with things that cannot bring lasting enjoyment. So, another thing he now wanted to compare was having wisdom vs doing foolish things, which he had also done. Of course , it is a no brainer: he concludes that is is better to be wise than to be a fool. A wise man can see, while a fool is blind. Yet he notices that there was one thing that happened both to the wise and the foolish alike. He says: just as the foolish will die and be forgotten, so will I. So, what value is my wisdom? He was very disillusioned and hated life, because it was so irrational. What's the point of all this? He is disgusted that all his hard work will be left to others, who may be wise or foolish-very discouraging, indeed. The poor guy was left in despair, knowing that he spent his life searching for knowledge, wisdom and skill and he may end up leaving it to someone who has not done a day's work in his life (actually that's what happened, because his son was not a wise king). Well, that does seem unfair, doesn't it? He questions what we get for all our hard work? Days full of sorrow and grief and restless, bitter nights, as he puts it. How ridiculous is that? What is it all about? Then he suddenly realizes that the most pleasure comes from common, little things of life, but most importantly ALL comes from God. Who can do anything apart from Him? I know we all think we can do things on our own, but really? We depend on Him for food, appetite, digestion, sight, hearing, smell, memory, health, sanity and all that makes for normal, pleasurable experiences, even enjoyment. Think about it! If you have older parents who are no longer healthy, or you have experienced pain, illness etc...maybe you can understand. How much power do we really have over some of these things? Can we cure ourselves if we are ill? Can we restore our own memory if we are struck by Alzheimers? Can we restore our sight if we are blinded? I would say the answer is NO.
John D. Rockefeller, had an income of one million dollars a week, yet all his doctors allowed him to eat food that cost a few cents. One of his biographers said that he lived on a diet that a pauper would have despised:
"Now less than 100 pounds in weight, he sampled everything (at breakfast) a drop of coffee,
a spoon full of cereal, a forkful of egg, and a bit of chop the size of a pea".
He was the richest man in the world but did not have the ability to enjoy his food............
I have seen this scenario way too many times in my own life, with my very own eyes. Some things we really don't have control over.
In closing, Solomon makes an interesting comment. God can take away from the ones who displease him and give to the ones who please him. That is interesting. So, my question is: how do we please or displease God? We all have the choice to do either. The important thing is to know which one to do. Right? and how do we find out? We certainly cannot find out how to please God by watching TV or getting information on-line.Where do we turn? Some people, through no fault of their own, live in bad situations, grow up in disfunctional families etc.. We are bombarded by what the media wants us to believe as the truth. Many times that is far from the truth. I guess we must be careful who and what we listen to, and where the source of information is coming from. One thing I do know is that if we work on making more wise choices than foolish ones, we can spare ouselves from trouble and lot of headaches. In life we will encounter troubles anyway, but if we can avoid self-inflicted, self-caused troubles as much as possible, it will make life a little more bearable and hopefully more pleasing to God.
OK, next week we will look at MY most favorite chapter: #3 "ther is a time for everything under the sun"...until then-- wishing you peace and joy.
After experiencing all these things, Solomon stopped to evaluate it all and again this was his conclusion: it all seemed useless at the end. He had fleeting joy, but no lasting satisfaction. He got bored by it all. That is where our contemporary society is-in a hell of materialism, trying to satisfy the human heart with things that cannot bring lasting enjoyment. So, another thing he now wanted to compare was having wisdom vs doing foolish things, which he had also done. Of course , it is a no brainer: he concludes that is is better to be wise than to be a fool. A wise man can see, while a fool is blind. Yet he notices that there was one thing that happened both to the wise and the foolish alike. He says: just as the foolish will die and be forgotten, so will I. So, what value is my wisdom? He was very disillusioned and hated life, because it was so irrational. What's the point of all this? He is disgusted that all his hard work will be left to others, who may be wise or foolish-very discouraging, indeed. The poor guy was left in despair, knowing that he spent his life searching for knowledge, wisdom and skill and he may end up leaving it to someone who has not done a day's work in his life (actually that's what happened, because his son was not a wise king). Well, that does seem unfair, doesn't it? He questions what we get for all our hard work? Days full of sorrow and grief and restless, bitter nights, as he puts it. How ridiculous is that? What is it all about? Then he suddenly realizes that the most pleasure comes from common, little things of life, but most importantly ALL comes from God. Who can do anything apart from Him? I know we all think we can do things on our own, but really? We depend on Him for food, appetite, digestion, sight, hearing, smell, memory, health, sanity and all that makes for normal, pleasurable experiences, even enjoyment. Think about it! If you have older parents who are no longer healthy, or you have experienced pain, illness etc...maybe you can understand. How much power do we really have over some of these things? Can we cure ourselves if we are ill? Can we restore our own memory if we are struck by Alzheimers? Can we restore our sight if we are blinded? I would say the answer is NO.
John D. Rockefeller, had an income of one million dollars a week, yet all his doctors allowed him to eat food that cost a few cents. One of his biographers said that he lived on a diet that a pauper would have despised:
"Now less than 100 pounds in weight, he sampled everything (at breakfast) a drop of coffee,
a spoon full of cereal, a forkful of egg, and a bit of chop the size of a pea".
He was the richest man in the world but did not have the ability to enjoy his food............
I have seen this scenario way too many times in my own life, with my very own eyes. Some things we really don't have control over.
In closing, Solomon makes an interesting comment. God can take away from the ones who displease him and give to the ones who please him. That is interesting. So, my question is: how do we please or displease God? We all have the choice to do either. The important thing is to know which one to do. Right? and how do we find out? We certainly cannot find out how to please God by watching TV or getting information on-line.Where do we turn? Some people, through no fault of their own, live in bad situations, grow up in disfunctional families etc.. We are bombarded by what the media wants us to believe as the truth. Many times that is far from the truth. I guess we must be careful who and what we listen to, and where the source of information is coming from. One thing I do know is that if we work on making more wise choices than foolish ones, we can spare ouselves from trouble and lot of headaches. In life we will encounter troubles anyway, but if we can avoid self-inflicted, self-caused troubles as much as possible, it will make life a little more bearable and hopefully more pleasing to God.
OK, next week we will look at MY most favorite chapter: #3 "ther is a time for everything under the sun"...until then-- wishing you peace and joy.
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