A Lesson from Solomon

Ecclesiastes 2: 26 “This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.”

My dad drilled into me the importance of keeping your commitments, all of them. Seventy was a long way away when I made this commitment to myself; now, it is here. Fear not, there will be another season, the Lord works out everything for its proper end.

Ecclesiastes 2: 18-19, “Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me. And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish?”

Many of you are far from the finish line. Some of you can relate to my situation, and some can’t. I can’t imagine spending a third of my adult life doing something from which I couldn’t wait to get away. But that is another story for another time. Whether to love your job or hate it, this message is for you.

My lament is along the lines of; who will take my place? Not that I am narcissistic and believe I am irreplaceable, I’m not. I have no great idea or vast wisdom, but I have a place. I am a cog in the wheel. It is not the tasks I do to keep the company running as much as it is what I do to support the people around me. I have friends and relationships that I cherish. Many of these are younger people that would never “hang” with me after retirement. Work is part of the cadence of my life; it provides a purpose, direction, and a sense of accomplishment. That is a lot to leave to someone else.

This morning King Solomon was asked by God to help me understand my priorities. Ecclesiastes 2 was my reading for this morning. I think of some of the greatest names in history; they’re names with extended biographies. We intellectually know about them, but they are pieces of data. Much of what they accomplish has been rewritten by those who followed.

I am afraid that everything I do here on earth will have minimal value. Sooner or later, it will either be surpassed or forgotten. Every accomplishment, and every idea, will turn to dust. What will be left is my eternal impact for Christ.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 “And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

Here would be my advice, no matter where you are on your journey, serve only God. Use the position God has given you to move His Kingdom further down the road. Treat your situation as your mission field. It is not the money, or status, or ideas, or accolades that will survive eternity. It is the people you will meet again in Heaven.

Proverbs 16:3-4, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.”

I will miss the past. I have more anxiety for me than then the ones I leave behind. I will miss them more then they will miss me. God has turned the page in my life; a new adventure waits for me. He will use what I have learned to keep kicking that can down the road.

Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Here is the full passage, and it is worth taking the time to read.

Ecclesiastes 2: 18-26 “18 Then I despised everything I had worked for on earth, that is, the things that I will leave to the person who will succeed me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Either way, he will take possession of everything that I have done on earth, especially where I have excelled. This also is pointless. 20 So I came to be in despair about everything I had accomplished on earth. 21 For sometimes, people who strive to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and equity leave everything as an inheritance to a person who never worked for it. This, too, is pointless and greatly troublesome.

22 For what does a person gain from everything that he accomplishes and from his inner life struggles that he undergoes while working on earth? 23 Indeed, all of his days are filled with sorrow, and his struggles bring grief. In fact, his mind remains restless throughout the night. This is pointless, too!

24 The only worthwhile thing for a human being is to eat, drink, and enjoy life’s goodness that he finds in what he accomplishes. This, I observed, is also from the hand of God himself, 25 for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him? 26 After all, to the person who is good in God’s sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the troublesome task of acquiring and accumulating in order to leave it to someone who is good in the sight of God. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind.”