Welcome to the last week of our Ecclesiastes study! We begin this week with some pretty confusing verses:
Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
The basic message that Solomon is telling us is that we need to live boldly.
Some believe Solomon is talking about generosity and addressing those whom the Lord has blessed with material belongings, talents, interests and special gifts. This includes all of us. We are to use our money, our homes, our time, and the things we are good at to honor God by helping those who are in need.
Too often we worry about how the other person will respond. Will they be thankful? Will they waste what I give them? Will they take it for granted? What if it has no lasting effect on them?
Don’t worry about how it will end. God will take care of that. But always be in prayer as to how you can be generous to others.
“What we invest in the kingdom of God—our time, our talent, our treasure—is never wasted.” – Philip Graham Ryken
The second interpretation for these verses is referring to boldness in various ventures or even business opportunities. We cannot predict the future. There may be an element of uncertainly, but if we feel God calling us to something we should boldly step out in faith and not shrink back in fear.
Don’t wait for perfect circumstances or the right amount of money in your bank account before you live boldly and follow the call that God has placed on your life.
Maybe God is calling you to start a business, to have more children, to go back to school, to enter full time ministry, or to care for your elderly parents. Whatever it is, follow God’s call and trust that no matter where it leads God is with you.
“When I trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour, ‘I married adventure’; and that meant living by faith and expecting the unexpected.” -Warren W. Wiersbe
Whether the call is to give generously or to live boldly, we must all do as much good as we can while God has us here on this earth.
Solomon reminds us that like a tree that falls over and cannot be stood back up, so is a person’s character once death comes for him.
Now is the time to honor God with our character.
Now is the time to help those around us.
Now is the time to live boldly.