S199P19 – Through Solomon’s eyes: despite it all, we still try

Ecc. 12:9‭-‬10

And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.

The world is going to hell in a handbasket.  The words of the girl’s grandmother replayed over and over in her mind.  She had been shown all the follies of this existence.  Grandma had explained all the reasons people cannot be trusted, and that made her keep people at bay to protect herself.  Then, she met a friend who did not live at all like she lived.  This woman did not shy away from the world, but she took it head on.  She was not of the world, but she certainly was in it.  Her courage and faith were commendable, her fearlessness a point of envy.  Yes, the friend knew that this world and its inhabitants are broken, but she also knew that she could make even the slightest difference in that.

The preacher was just as wise as Solomon.  He saw all of the useless evil that Solomon saw.  He saw the waste and the contradiction and futility in this world.  The preacher was aware of all that, but his response was not one of resignation.  He would not simply accept the way the world is and deal with it; he purposed to change it.  Despite the condition of this world, the preacher continued to speak the truth.  He had a glimmer of hope that something or someone could be changed.  We should know this preacher because we should be him.  We see what looks like hopelessness, and we live walking through darkness everywhere we go.  Yet, it is our calling and command to bring light to that darkness no matter how hopeless it seems.

It is really easy to be discouraged by all of the evil and vanity we see in this world.  We can get to the point of thinking like that girl’s grandmother and throwing in the towel because the chips will fall where they will.  We can forget that we actually still have a hand in spreading truth and bringing change here.  We get so tired of all the sin that it actually makes us tired, exhausted from the fight and ready to call it a day.  When we have those thoughts, we must remember that hope never disappears.  If there still is time, then there is time to effect change.  Father, keep us from being distracted by the darkness around us, and give us the fire to keep sharing the word no matter how the world looks.