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24 April 2007
Ecclesiastes 2:15-16
I thought to myself, "What happens to a fool will happen to me, too, so what is the reward for being wise?" I said to myself, "Being wise is also useless." The wise person and the fool will both die, and no one will remember either one for long. In the future, both will be forgotten.
Quick question: whichever country you live in, who was the Prime Minister, President or Ruler 100 years ago?
Do you know? If so, well done! I haven't a clue who the Prime Minister of the UK was 100 years ago!
It's often said that we cannot take anything with us when we die, but it's easy to limit our thinking about that to money and possessions. Solomon reminds us that wisdom and fame are also perishable - eventually those who 'possess' them will be forgotten. There have been many wise people throughout history, but only a tiny proportion of them are still remembered . . . and even fewer about whom we know why we remember them.
Solomon reminds us that everything we have - be it money, fame or wisdom - will do us no good when we die. Rich and poor, famous and unknown, wise and foolish - all people will die, and what we have will make no difference as we stand before God.
So what will make a difference? Building our lives on the solid foundation of knowing God. Then, when all else is taken away, we will still have God, who is all we need anyway.
Ask God to speak to you through this old Celtic Parable: "Long ago I was famous. People called me golden-tongued. They flocked to hear me preach. I was the finest speaker in the land. But fame withers faster than wealth. I lost my skill at speaking. I lost my desire to inspire. Soon the people forgot me. I thought I was serving God. In truth I was serving pride. I thought myself full of joy. In truth my soul was rotten. Thank God for taking fame away. Thank God for giving me humility."
Written by Capt. Chris Routledge CA.
Ecclesiastes 2:15-16
I thought to myself, "What happens to a fool will happen to me, too, so what is the reward for being wise?" I said to myself, "Being wise is also useless." The wise person and the fool will both die, and no one will remember either one for long. In the future, both will be forgotten.
Quick question: whichever country you live in, who was the Prime Minister, President or Ruler 100 years ago?
Do you know? If so, well done! I haven't a clue who the Prime Minister of the UK was 100 years ago!
It's often said that we cannot take anything with us when we die, but it's easy to limit our thinking about that to money and possessions. Solomon reminds us that wisdom and fame are also perishable - eventually those who 'possess' them will be forgotten. There have been many wise people throughout history, but only a tiny proportion of them are still remembered . . . and even fewer about whom we know why we remember them.
Solomon reminds us that everything we have - be it money, fame or wisdom - will do us no good when we die. Rich and poor, famous and unknown, wise and foolish - all people will die, and what we have will make no difference as we stand before God.
So what will make a difference? Building our lives on the solid foundation of knowing God. Then, when all else is taken away, we will still have God, who is all we need anyway.
Ask God to speak to you through this old Celtic Parable: "Long ago I was famous. People called me golden-tongued. They flocked to hear me preach. I was the finest speaker in the land. But fame withers faster than wealth. I lost my skill at speaking. I lost my desire to inspire. Soon the people forgot me. I thought I was serving God. In truth I was serving pride. I thought myself full of joy. In truth my soul was rotten. Thank God for taking fame away. Thank God for giving me humility."
Written by Capt. Chris Routledge CA.
