Enjoy What You Have While You Can

Ecclesiastes 9:1-18

“For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1)

As Solomon pondered the these things he realized that ultimately God was in control of those who did what was right and were wise, directing them in the proper way.  He realized that prejudices and attitudes were not handed down genetically but are learned.  Mankind chooses what they wish to believe and do.   It is why the same family can produce a drug addict or murderer and a police officer.  They made different choices.

“All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.” (Ecclesiastes 9:2-3)

Hebrews 9:27 says, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  Solomon points out that every person dies, whether good or bad, regardless of their religion, moral standards, or sincerity.  On the surface it seems unfair, but in reality, evil lurks in the heart of the best.  Romans 3:10-12 declares, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”   As Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.”   Once they die, man is unable to change anything.     

“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.   Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:4-6)

As long as a person is alive, there is hope that he can do something, regardless how weak he may seem.  Once he is dead his strength vanishes regardless how strong he once was.  Even a Chihuahua can eat a dead lion.   Living people, are aware of the possibility of death, but those who are dead don’t even have that much awareness.  A posthumous award means nothing to a dead man.  He is soon forgotten and his attitudes and actions no longer affect people on the earth.  Their part on earth is finished.   Contrary to what many believe, their spirits are not hovering around guiding or terrorizing the living.  Their not turning over in their graves.

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.  Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9)

If one is to enjoy their life they need to do it while they are healthy and can.  At the same time, they can still do things to please God.  The family and belongings one has are what God has provided and are what he wants the person to have,  We can either be thankful for what we have, and enjoy our lives or we can complain about not having as much as others and be miserable. 

“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.  For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12)

There is an old saying that there never was a horse that couldn’t be ridden or a cowboy that couldn’t be thrown.  The point is that no matter how skilled or wise one is, things can happen that prevent success.  A fire or other disaster can destroy a home.  A new technology can make a business obsolete, or a change in government regulations can force a successful business out of business.  Nobody can guarantee how long they will be successful.  Instead of depending on future success, we need to enjoy what we have at the moment. 

“This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.  The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.  Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.” (Ecclesiastes 9:13-18)

A wise man can accomplish a great deal, even defeating a powerful army because of his wisdom, even though he has little money. Ultimately, wisdom is more valuable than money or power, but it tends to be ignored because people are more impressed with power or money.  Quiet thoughtful people are more likely to listen to a wise person than foolish and thoughtless people are to even a great and powerful king.  Wisdom is better than a powerful and well equipped army, but one wicked person can make even the best plans and weapons fail.