Reading 55 • November 7
Today's Scripture
Ecclesiastes 9:1–11
All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them is vanity, since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath. This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun. Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. (NRSV)
Reflection
“Everything that confronts them is vanity, since the same fate comes to all.”
Two sentiments popped up at once in my mind after reading this text: one, made famous by Ben Franklin but originally penned by Christopher Bullock: “’Tis impossible to be sure of anything but Death and Taxes.” The second, a Morgan Freeman quote in his role as real-life principal Joe Clark during a tense moment in the 1989 film Lean on Me: “The only things I have to do is stay Black and die!” Though situated in remarkably distinct cultural contexts, all three share the same exasperated observation — life’s only inescapable imperatives are existence, burden (especially those imposed by domination or discrimination), and death. Ugh.
The accumulated wisdom from life experience and ancient texts that Ecclesiastes’ author Qoheleth (Hebrew “Teacher”) offers here poses a grim challenge to the idea of pursuing a “purpose-driven life.” Yet, in acknowledging the inevitable, Qoheleth ultimately affirms the value of experiencing the fullness of life precisely because of its impermanence. After all, “a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
I have come to champion Qoheleth’s perspective as the call to embrace a “might as well” orientation to faith and the call to discipleship. Imagine the hymn lyrics amended to “I might as well live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime” as a statement of purpose in light of our ephemeral embodied existence, an antidote to despair.
Prayer
Eternal God, thank you for the gift of wisdom that calls us to affirm the value of our existence. Today, help us to decide that we “might as well” dedicate ourselves to living in service of the gospel, even in small ways, so long as we have life, breath, and strength. Amen.
Written by Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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