Perspective
Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. ESV Ecclesiastes 2:15
Though we don’t know for sure, it is widely accepted that Solomon wrote this strange book that follows Proverbs. At first glance—well, for twelve chapters—it reads like the random, contradictory musings of an old, eccentric author. But taken in it’s entirety, a great and simple truth emerges.
No earthly king has known more material wealth, wisdom or knowledge than Solomon. He literally knew it all, owned it all, ruled it all and did it all during his lifetime. When Solomon came to the end of his storied life his bucket list was complete. (That is to say that everything he wanted to do before he “kicked the bucket” was done—crossed off this list.) Yet the most repeated phrase in Ecclesiastes is “all is vanity.” Why so? The answer lies in his perspective.
Have you ever been on the outside of a heated argument looking in and wondered why on earth they were making such a fuss over something? Or perhaps you’ve been in the middle of a heated argument and wondered why someone on the outside failed to grasp the significance of your point of view. It’s the same argument viewed from different perspectives. And that’s what Ecclesiastes is all about; perspective.
The writer seems to be looking back over a lifetime filled with activities that seemed important at the time but in hindsight, the insignificance of it all begins to come into focus. Many, many items on his bucket list really didn’t matter after all; working late for an extra dollar, studying for more and more wisdom, over indulging in fun and leisure.
Now, to be fair, those things do matter. The bible commands us to provide for our families. The bible encourages wisdom. It even says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Even rest and relaxation have their place in our lives. So I’m not suggesting that we take a “do nothing” attitude towards life.
But at the end of the day, the rich and the poor along with the wise and the foolish will meet their maker. Death does not discriminate. What will seem important then? Which activities will seem important from an eternal perspective?
The book of Ecclesiastes ends with this great and simple truth: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Let these words serve as a challenge to live life from an eternal perspective.
Ken Askew
Though we don’t know for sure, it is widely accepted that Solomon wrote this strange book that follows Proverbs. At first glance—well, for twelve chapters—it reads like the random, contradictory musings of an old, eccentric author. But taken in it’s entirety, a great and simple truth emerges.
No earthly king has known more material wealth, wisdom or knowledge than Solomon. He literally knew it all, owned it all, ruled it all and did it all during his lifetime. When Solomon came to the end of his storied life his bucket list was complete. (That is to say that everything he wanted to do before he “kicked the bucket” was done—crossed off this list.) Yet the most repeated phrase in Ecclesiastes is “all is vanity.” Why so? The answer lies in his perspective.
Have you ever been on the outside of a heated argument looking in and wondered why on earth they were making such a fuss over something? Or perhaps you’ve been in the middle of a heated argument and wondered why someone on the outside failed to grasp the significance of your point of view. It’s the same argument viewed from different perspectives. And that’s what Ecclesiastes is all about; perspective.
The writer seems to be looking back over a lifetime filled with activities that seemed important at the time but in hindsight, the insignificance of it all begins to come into focus. Many, many items on his bucket list really didn’t matter after all; working late for an extra dollar, studying for more and more wisdom, over indulging in fun and leisure.
Now, to be fair, those things do matter. The bible commands us to provide for our families. The bible encourages wisdom. It even says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Even rest and relaxation have their place in our lives. So I’m not suggesting that we take a “do nothing” attitude towards life.
But at the end of the day, the rich and the poor along with the wise and the foolish will meet their maker. Death does not discriminate. What will seem important then? Which activities will seem important from an eternal perspective?
The book of Ecclesiastes ends with this great and simple truth: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Let these words serve as a challenge to live life from an eternal perspective.
Ken Askew
posted by TBC at
5/04/2009 07:56:00 AM
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