Why do I get it so wrong?

Start living

I am sitting in my new office.. My in-laws have been here for a week and put down brand new floorboards in my shed which has been transformed.

For the first time since moving to Poatina most of my books are on shelves and I have a desk (I have been working on our bed for the previous 6 months).

I love the promise of emerging order in my life!

At the same time as all this renovation has been going on, I have been teaching our students the book of Ecclesiastes. I am falling in love with that book of the bible!

What I most appreciate about it is the way it is so confronting.. Solomon actually says that was part of his purpose:

Ecclesiastes 12:11  The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd.

Basically he is saying that his words should be like a device that induces pain to keep you on track.

There is one theme that re-occurs throughout the book (Actually there are a number of themes but this is the one that is speaking to me clearly at the moment), and that is the place of work.

Solomon throws himself into work in Chapter 2 only to conclude in verse 22 and 23:

What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

Later in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 5 -6 Solomon says:

The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Not working is foolish, and working too hard is meaningless, our real task is to find that middle road that brings tranquility.

A friend of mine sent me a link to an article which listed the top five regrets of the dying.

In order they were:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

As it turns out, many of us would live our lives much differently if we were able to truly integrate the wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes.

Solomon brings things back to one simple truth:

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man (Eccl 12:13)

So… rather than trying to get everyone and everything to orientate around me, my task in life is to orientate around God, and in that context life actually starts to have meaning.

I love the Hebrew notion of “Shalom” which means everything having its right place, and that includes work, sleep, family, play and even my relationship with God.

In a moment when my normal job description is in flux, it is good to know that my real job description has never changed.

I love my new office!!