In The Word
Read: Ecclesiastes 10:8-11:8
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; 13 the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. 14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? 15 The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness. 18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. 19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.
Cast Your Bread on the Waters
11 Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. 2 Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. 4 He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Solomon used two illustrations, maritime trade and farming, to urge his readers to work diligently and manage each day wisely. He said that when work needs to get done, we should wake up early and give a full effort until evening, trusting God to bless the tasks we completed. He advised people not to sit around and wait for ideal circumstances because the situation may never be absolutely perfect to get the work done. He also said that worrying about the future would stifle activity and accomplish nothing. Simply put: if a person looked for an excuse to do nothing, then they could find one. He cautioned that laziness and idleness would lead to a home in disrepair.
God created us with the wisdom and strength to work and be productive. We see this in the beginning with Adam, whom God created to work and take care of the Garden of Eden. Even after the flood, God said there would always be seedtime and harvest, both of which require diligent work. God instructs us to work to provide for the needs of our immediate family, home, elderly parents, church, and the poor.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “work” also means “worship.” God is watching the effort we choose to put forth, and He says we are to work like we are working directly for Him, not man (Colossians 3:23). When it is time to work, do you put forth a full day’s effort? How you work and handle yourself represents God to others.