The Vanity of Living for Self

Then I regarded all the works my hands had done and in the labor at which I had labored to do and behold, all was vanity and a grasping of wind and there was no gain under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

        The search for meaning continues.  In these opening verses (2:1-11), the author recalls how he sought answers by turning to a life devoted to himself.  He found laughter and mirth to be pointless in themselves and the stimulation of wine had no value.  He satisfied his sexual appetites, but these “delights of the sons of men” didn’t answer his true longing.  He sought a life of achievement.  He built buildings, parks and fountains; he acquired wealth and prestige; he took hold of whatever he saw and held nothing back.  He discovered some measure of satisfaction from all these achievements, but no meaning.  When he stepped back to evaluate all he had done, indulging his desires, he realized it was all empty.  Nothing he had done mattered at all.

        I'm reminded of certain passages which tell us that whatever we do we are to work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 10:31 & Colossians 3:23).  What we do in this life only matters insomuch as it is done for the honor of the Lord; for His lasting glory.  Anything else may bring some measure of satisfaction yet be sure that it will be only a temporary pleasure.  The writer of Ecclesiastes found emptiness because he did all these things for himself, to discover "what was good for the children of men to do under heaven during the few days of their life”.  He had not yet considered what to do that would matter beyond his few days; what would matter ‘beyond the sun’.  Living for self always leads to emptiness.

An Unhappy Business

¹²I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.  ¹³And I committed my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom regarding all that which is done under the heavens; the grievous business [which] God has given to the sons of man to be busied with.  ¹⁴I have seen all the works which are done under the sun, and behold, all was vanity and a grasping of wind.  ¹⁵[What is] bent is not able to be made straight, and [what is] lacking is not able to be counted. (Ecclesiastes 1:12-15)

The Preacher, the king of Israel (again, likely Solomon) has undertaken the task of exploring all that is done on earth.  He seems to have come away disappointed, for as he studies the world, and a person’s place and purpose in it, he reaches the conclusion that one’s lot is a grievous, or ‘unhappy’, business.  Life continues to give the impression of emptiness; as vain an effort as “grasping the wind”. 

The Preacher determines that God’s ways are outside of a person’s ability to grasp (something he will come back to in chapter 3) just as what is crooked or bent cannot be straightened or something invisible cannot be counted or accounted for.  Thus, to pursue meaning in life is a vain exercise leaving one in doubt or despair.

God does not show us the answers to all of life’s questions.  In this fallen world, there will always be mysteries; the unexplained and the unanswered.  It isn’t that God does not desire us to know, but rather that He desires us to come to Him in faith precisely because we do not know. 

The blessing for the Christian is that we have the completed canon of written Scripture, as well as the witness of the Holy Spirit, whereas the Preacher was more limited in the level of revelation God had given to that point.  However, just because we have this fuller revelation does not mean we have, or need, any less faith.  In fact, knowing more, we can perceive more deeply and more clearly the pain and tragedy of a fallen world—although we are no closer to answering the mysteries.  We continue to bear the ‘unhappy business’; the burden of not knowing.  And we continue to be frustrated at not being able to straighten the crooked or count the invisible.  We must trust God that all is, in the end, not vanity.        

Do People Matter?

There is no memorial of those from days past, nor shall there be of those to come; no there will be no memorial by those who come later.   (Ecclesiastes 1:11)

            

The world reveals an endless cycle of ‘vanity’—a repetitive cycle with leads the Preacher to pose the question of pointlessness (see 1:3).  Surely the very fact of human existence gives some sense of purpose or meaning to the world.  But does it?  The opening salvo of the book ends with the opposite conclusion: most people—the vast majority—live and die in complete obscurity.  No one truly remembers those from the past; no one in the future will remember these present days and they also will be forgotten in their turn.

            

We remember Napoleon, but what of the millions of soldiers and civilians whose lives were impacted and destroyed because of him?  Do we know their names?  Are they in the history books?  We remember Ghandi, but what of all those who marched with him; protested, resisted and suffered along with him for his cause?  Are they remembered?  Not to mention the countless years, in which none of these world shaking figures lived or were active, when people beyond number lived, toiled and died—without leaving any record or impact, except perhaps to those close with them who also passed off the scene.  We know so very little about the ages past, just as 

future generations will know so little about us.

One must conclude, from the Preacher’s perspective that humankind does not matter.  So take what you can get while you live; try to leave some kind of legacy or impact before you fall into total obscurity. 

            

As a Christian I know differently.  While the masses may not matter to the elite and the powerful, nor to the historian, every person who has ever been born matters to God.  Christ died for all, that all may live and find their value.  He calls a people to Himself and knows them intimately.  Each one matters to God, and that is what gives life its infinite value.   

Has Life Gone Stale?

Ecclesiastes- 'The Pursuit of Meaning: Doubt, Despair and Discovery'.  

⁴A generation passes away and [another] generation comes, but the earth remains forever.  ⁵The sun rises, and the sun sets, and quickly returns to the place from where it rises.  ⁶Whirling to the south and turning toward the north, the wind turns and turns and whirls continually, and through its circles the wind returns.  ⁷All rivers run to the sea, but the sea is never full; to the place from where the rivers [first] run, there they return to run again.  ⁸All things are tiresome; man is unable to speak [of it]; the eye is not satisfied [with what it] sees, nor the ear filled with [what it] hears.  ⁹That which has been is that which will be [again], and that which has been done is that which will be done [again]; and there is nothing at all new under the sun.  ¹⁰Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is a new thing’?  It has been already from days past which have come before us. (Ecclesiastes 1:4-10)* 

The Preacher began with the statement of his perspective that everything was as a vapor or mist (hebel).  As he seeks to discover the point of life, he looks to the natural world; but finds no answers there.  Nature seems locked in an endless loop.  People are born, live and die, only to be replaced by a new generation.  The sun rises, crosses the sky and sets, only to begin the same pattern again the next morning.  The wind blows, the water flows—on and on and on it goes.  We may hear the author sigh as he says, “all things are tiresome.” (1:8) 

Life itself has become, or seems to have become, stale.  That which seems new, is in fact old—it’s been done before.  There are no new people; just replacements for the dead.  No new sunrise; just the same sun on an endless loop.  No new rain; just recycled water which has fallen before.  “Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is a new thing?’ (1:10) For the Preacher the answer is 'no'.  On and on it goes.  What is now is what has already been and will be again in days to come when our future 'replacements' walk the earth.  Indeed "there is nothing at all new under the sun."

Is the Preacher correct?  Is life tired and stale?  And if it is, is this what God intended?  From the author’s perspective it may have seemed so—that life was an endless cycle of birth and death; that the creative spark had gone out of the universe.  As a Christian, with the benefit of the perspective of the New Testament, I can recognize that the created order is “subjected to futility” (Romans 8:20 ESV) until the revealing of God’s Elect at the end of days (see Romans 8:19-21).  Until then life perhaps does seem stale, and the pursuit of meaning destined to end in despair and futility.  But for those with hope, the ‘firstfruits of the Spirit’ (see Romans 8:23), we can see the beauty of a world on the edge of something wonderful.

*Because I will be posting larger sections of Scripture, and to avoid copyright infringement, the text will be my own basic translation, similar to, but distinct from other common translations.  Words in [brackets] are supplied to give better flow to the text. These words are generally implied, but not directly given in the Hebrew text. 

What's the Point?

I invite you to take a journey with me through the book of Ecclesiastes.  It is my intent that these posts will form the basic outline for my second book, which I am tentatively calling 'The Pursuit of Meaning: Doubt, Despair and Discovery'.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.  Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.  What does it profit a man for all his toil at which he labors under the sun?  (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)

This is certainly an odd way for a book of the Bible to begin!  Right away the tone is set; this will be an honest and hard look at life.  The word ‘vanity’ (Hebrew hebel) has the sense of a breath or a vapor, something that is transitory and ultimately lacking in substance.  The book begins with a declaration that everything is as a passing breath; a mist.  It is never-lasting.

 

So then, the author (likely Solomon) asks, what is the point of life?  What is the purpose of men and women?  What value do people have?  For what do they expend their time and energy “under the sun” (meaning during their time on earth)?  If all is vanity, a passing vapor, what is the point of anything?  If a person cannot lay their hands on anything of any lasting value, what is the point of living?

These are tough questions; a tough way to begin.  However, establishing the ‘vain’ and transitory nature of life is crucial to the Judeo-Christian worldview, and its ultimate hope.  The trick, though, is not to read the end into the beginning, but to read Ecclesiastes as it unfolds, struggling along with the author on his pursuit of meaning, a journey of doubt, despair and discovery.

 

Yet knowing the end reinforces the beginning.  If life “under the sun” is but a vapor, offering no real meaning, it stands to reason we must look ‘beyond the sun’ for something permanent to give us value. 

I look forward to sharing these thoughts over the coming days.

The Fifth Sparrow

Ever feel so small, as if you have no real value?  If you haven’t felt this at some point, God bless you!  But I suspect that most of us have at one time or another felt as if we didn’t really matter; that if we were to vanish, we wouldn’t be missed.  For those who have ever experienced this, as I have, I offer something Jesus said which reminds us that no matter how small we may feel, how useless, unwanted or unneeded, we have great worth in the sight of God.

In Matthew 10:29 Jesus asks, “are not two sparrows sold for a penny?”*

The sparrow was not good for much.  The extremely poor might rely on them for food (consider how unsatisfying that meal would be!).  Two of these birds could be purchased for the smallest fraction of money- one penny. 

The word for penny is the Greek ‘assarion’, the smallest unit of money worth about one sixteenth of a denarius.  The denarius was a day's wage for a laborer or soldier and in modern equivalent was worth about 20 cents (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia).  Therefore we have the absolute least amount of money being spent on an ‘item’ of absolute least value. 

   

But wait.  In Luke 12:6 Jesus asks a different form of the same question: “are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?”*

Now I am no math whiz, but if two sparrows cost one penny, then four sparrows, not five, cost two pennies.  Think about that fifth sparrow; it’s a toss in, an add-on, the equivalent of the thirteenth donut in a baker’s dozen.  It was probably so small that it wasn’t worth even a half-penny on its own.  That fifth sparrow is the epitome of worthless things.

Yet look what Jesus continues to say: “not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (Matthew 10:29*); “not one of them is forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6*).  Not one of these creatures, no matter how small or worthless they may seem to us, is beyond the care and compassion of the heavenly Father; not even the fifth sparrow.

This is all well and good for the cute little sparrows; how nice to know that God cares for the birds.  Indeed!  But even better is to know that Jesus didn’t leave it there. 

Jesus was speaking to His disciples about the hardships and trials they would face as they carried His message into the world.  They were understandably worried about the uncertainty of the itinerant life and the very real prospect of persecution, prison and even death.  It must have seemed overwhelming to these simple men.  Paul would later exclaim “who is equal to such a task?” (2 Corinthians 2:16 NIV**). 

So as He spoke of the sparrows, Jesus told His disciples: “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31 cf. Luke 12:7).

Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that no matter what they faced, no matter how difficult their mission and ministry became, they could have the absolute confidence that the Father cared for them deeply and would watch over them always.

 

So then, if the Father concerns Himself with something so comparatively worthless, how much more will He give His attention to His children, the followers of His beloved Son?

So the next time you feel valueless or useless, as if you do not matter, consider the fifth sparrow…and know that you are deeply loved.

Be blessed!

*English Standard Bible.  Copyright © 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, A Division of Good News Publishers, 1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, USA.

**HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Too Many Gimmicks

I recently passed a local church and my eye caught the message on their sign.  It read: ‘Come in for Pokemon; Stay for Worship’.

I do not know what thought processes went into the posting of that message.  Was the leadership involved or was it put up without their knowledge?  I will not cast aspersions on their love for the Lord nor say these aren’t honest believers. 

But it raises an important question we should all be ready to ponder: how low are local churches willing to sink to put people in the pews? 

This is not a commentary on ‘Pokemon Go’- my opinion on that fad is irrelevant to this discussion.  My argument is that many (most?) local churches have no idea of why they exist or what they are supposed to be doing.  They are convinced that their success depends entirely on how many people attend, or are on the membership rolls.  Therefore they feel they must do whatever they can; buy into any and every hype or fad; try every gimmick to get people interested, not in Christ or the Gospel, but in their particular organization.

Enough is enough. 

I know the counter-arguments people will use, wanting to sound supportive and magnanimous.  Some will inevitably say the church is ‘trying to be relevant’.

The relevance of the Church is not in the adoption of cultural fads.  What if someone does ‘come in for Pokemon’?  When they get bored, what will keep them there?  Another gimmick?  Another fad?  Do we honestly think that someone who comes into a local church playing ‘Pokemon Go’ is truly going to care about staying for worship?  The relevance of the Church is in her message of hope and the Word of salvation.  The relevance of the Church is in the clear assessment of the human condition and the power of Jesus to change lives.  The relevance of the Church is in offering true community in a fragmented society.  

Others will say. The church is just trying to ‘meet people where they are at’. 

Does this mean a church should host a strip club to attract lechers?  ‘Come in for porno- stay for worship’.  Or should we open bars to attract the drunks?  ‘Come in for a snort- stay for worship’.  Meeting people where they are at means we engage the lost in the context of the community outside the church doors.  And don’t ask if that means Christians should evangelize in bars and strip clubs- you know that is a ridiculous assertion.  It means getting to know people through normal, everyday community connections; finding out who they are, what they struggle with and then build a relationship to the point where we can share the hope of Jesus with them.    

Still others will contend that what matters is not how they come in, but that they come in, and then have an opportunity to hear the Gospel.

I would challenge you to read the Gospels and Acts with that idea in mind.  When did Jesus or the Apostles use gimmicks to get people’s attention?  What happened to people who showed up with the wrong ideas or motives?  Those who responded to the Gospel were those driven to Christ by their need, not those who drifted by from curiosity.  Can the Lord touch someone who comes into a local church with the wrong motives?  Absolutely!  But it isn’t something we should necessarily bet on.  Furthermore, is a local church which relies on gimmicks to get people in, all that committed to the Gospel?  Let’s be honest, the Gospel exposes people’s sin and need, and if a person came in looking for fun and games, chances are high they will hit the road as soon as the message gets tough.  Go read John 6 to see this reality. 

Gimmicks do not work.  They do not swell the attendance in a local church and they absolutely do not build the Body of Christ.  In the end pursuing gimmicks leaves us disappointed.  So we seek new fads, new gimmicks- and the cycle continues. 

The Church was never intended to be reduced to inviting people into buildings.  Rather it was intended to invite people to know Jesus by going out into the world.  I suggest we try the Lord’s way: trusting the Holy Spirit and seeking to build relationships which will then draw people to want to know the Good News of Jesus.  Then, when people come in to our worship centers, we will know that they come in with the right heart and for the right reasons.  They will come in- and stay -for Jesus.