Based on Ecclesiastes 12 (New King James Version)
“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’: while the sun and the light, the moon and the stars, are not darkened, and the clouds do not return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow down; when the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows grow dim; when the doors are shut in the streets, and the sound of grinding is low; when one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low. Also they are afraid of height, and of terrors in the way; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden, and desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets. Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. ‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘All is vanity.’ 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 words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment,
including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
John C. Maxwell said: “There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance.” One of the things that helps me the most to stay focused on reality, outside of the news, is going to hospitals. I go to hospitals either to visit other folks in need or as my family has needed it. All of the above helps me remember that anything can happen to anyone at any time. It is foolish for any person to think that they are not susceptible to the challenges of life. It is foolish for any person to think that nothing will ever happen to them. Here is where the ‘bad pride’ comes in.
There are some folks that think that if they have various things or do certain things, that nothing will happen to them. For instance, some people think that a good job or a good career will keep them safe; that financial stability is the magic bullet that will make all things good, or will help fix those things that need fixing. That kind of pride attempts to put a blindfold on people, making like they are beyond the reach of the awful realities that exist in this world. Some people watch the news and see the disasters that happen elsewhere and think, “Well, they are poor, and that’s why that happened to them.” I remember hearing a comedian once make fun of the people in Africa and of why don’t they move because nothing grows in the sand. I think if they could, they probably would move. The Syrian folks escaped from the disaster they were living and look how well it is going for those folks. The irony is that the Syrian folks that are fleeing Syria were not poor. In all actually, some were doing very well. But, some people think that those kinds of things only happen in that part of the world, and that it will never happen to them. They feel safe, away from harm.
There are folks that think that keeping themselves healthy, by becoming diet and exercise gurus, will keep their serious problems away. So, they pack themselves into gyms, or do whatever exercise program they adopt. They take all kinds of pills or consume ‘natural’ products. They are religious in checking themselves out often, to make sure that there are no problems. They make sure to buy ‘organic’ fruits and vegetables, and probably don’t consume any type of meat products to stay away from ‘toxins’. I remember hearing some news while driving a few weeks ago; a story about a man who had just ran a marathon. The runner, (a very strong athlete according to the report), felt some back discomfort the day after the race. He went to the doctor and they ran some tests. The doctor was shocked to find that his patient had a cancerous tumor the size of a golf ball in one of his lungs. The runner had told the doctor that he had felt no discomfort before.
Is it bad to have career, a good job, money, and/or to take care of yourself physically? Not at all. They are actually good things. The problem is when people put their faith and trust in those things, and they think that they are untouchable. They think that they are special. With all due respect, it is deeply foolish for a person to allow themselves to be deceived by their own ‘bad pride’. A good career or a lot of money in the bank does not give you a magic shield against issues that may occur suddenly and without warning. Trying to maintain perfect health will not assure you any kind of freedom from sickness or other problems. Bad things don’t necessarily happen to people because they weren’t rich enough, prepared enough, or healthy enough. Another way of saying it is, “Good things don’t happen to certain people because they were smarter, better, wiser, heathier, etc. than others.” God says this about ‘bad pride’: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17. On a lone enough timeline, we all will face our end; one way or another. For it is written: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.
In our passage today, we read that we should remember our Creator before it’s too late. We should remember that God will bring “every work into judgment”. It is also written: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”Galatians 6:7-8. He also says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. So, are you allowing yourself to be deceived by your own foolish pride; or are you living life wisely, looking for your Creator, sowing to the Spirit while there is still time? Lord bless! John