In The Word
Read: Ecclesiastes 10:8-11:8
8 One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. 9 One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one 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 bringing success. 11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. 12 Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; 13 the beginning of his talking is foolishness, and the end of it is evil insanity. 14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? 15 The labor of a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, land whose king is a boy, and whose princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness. 18 Through extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19 Peopleprepare a meal for enjoyment, wine makes life joyful, and money is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, in your bedroom do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word 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 on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. 4 One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. 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 everything.
6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether one or the other 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 person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but 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.