Who is in Control?

Recognize Your Limitations

Ecclesiastes 8:1–5 KJV 1900

Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

The king’s power and authority were supreme. There is nothing that most men could do to go against a king. Submission was the way to keep your family safe, your life at peace, and your home secure. He does say, “in regard of the oath of God” which likely speaks to situations where you might have to stand against the commandment of the king to honor the commandment of God.

Solomon, as a king, understands his power and he understands that the average subject of a king has neither cause or power or influence to go against the king’s commandment and therefore, is wise to adhere to the law so as to give himself and his family the best possible life under the circumstances that they find themselves.

While an earthly king is faulty the heavenly king is not; here Solomon encourages the subject to submit to his king because of the power he wields and the lack of influence the subject has. Many times the king was privy to information that the subject did not have and it is likely the decisions the king made are for the best of the kingdom. If they were not it was not within the power of the subject to change the king’s way so speaking words that were not loyal and supportive was dangerous, potentially without merit, and ultimately would not change the outcome.

We ought to learn the lesson that we are mere humans with finite minds that do not see the big picture like God sees it. We must then recognize our limitations in particular circumstances, make the best of our situation, and do what we can to better our lives and the lives of those around us. Griping, complaining, or speaking against those in power and decision making is likely to fail in changing or bettering our circumstances. Having recognized our limitations we can be faithful to the Lord and pray to him for guidance, ultimately accepting that in whatever state we find ourselves we humbly accept them and rely upon the KING OF KINGS to guide our lives and the outcomes of our circumstances.

Accept Your Circumstances

Ecclesiastes 8:6–7 KJV 1900

Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

Given the power of the king to do what he pleaseth and the lack of influence that a subject has upon the decision-maker he ought to understand that every man has a role to play in life and while he can not know what the future holds he must accept his own circumstances in life.

What good is going to do for you to complain about your circumstances? Will your situation magically change because you speak against the situation? You might complain about your light bill, but you are still going to have to pay it whether or not you believe it is outrageous. In life, we are generally of a greater mind set when we choose to accept the situation we are in rather than complain or fight against it.

Officiating Games

As a game official I get yelled at a lot. It really does not matter whether I make a good call or a bad one many calls are met with disagreement of some kind from one team or another. When calling a block/charge someone is going to be upset. Sometimes it is the coaches and sometimes it is the fans and occasionally it is the players. If I call a block the defensive team (whether player or coach or fans) get upset at the call. On the same call if I was to call a charge the offensive team (whether player or coach or fans) would be upset. As an official the only thing I can do is to know the rules, be as accurate with the rules and what I see, and make the call that i believe with sincerity to be the correct and truthful call. Many times I get it right and sometimes I get it wrong. What has never happened and never will happen is the official changing a call because someone got upset. I have never changed a call because a coach complained. This is true for the complaints of players and fans as well. The only thing that has ever resulted from griping and complaining about a call that someone thought was bad was the technical foul that came because they would not be quiet and move on and decided to act unsportsmanlike as a result of their dislike of the call I made. In griping about the foul against your player you may end up with a technical that adds to the perceived injury from the first call. NEVER will yelling at an official change the call in your favor.

That is exactly the same scenario when people with power and influence make decisions that do not favor our circumstances. Griping and complaining won’t change the circumstances we are in. Nothing wrong with speaking for what you think is right when there is a forum that invites your opinion. Where we go wrong is we think someone that makes decisions needs to hear our opinions even when it will not change our circumstances.

In life we will all be in circumstances we don’t want to be in. Often times there is nothing we can do or say to change it. What do we do then? Accept the circumstances we find ourselves in and draw our joy from the God of heaven who knows our situation and loves us enough to guide us through it. He does not always save us from it, but will always walk through it with us.

Have Faith in the Judgment of God

This is hard to do when we see things happening that seem to be a result of injustice. It is especially difficult when we see these injustices praised. It is disheartening to see that the prosperity of the corrupt lead others into the life of corruption.

Prosperity does not mean approval

Ecclesiastes 8:9–11 KJV 1900

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Judgment will come for the Wicked

Ecclesiastes 8:12–13 KJV 1900

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Men who are right do not always prevail on earth

Ecclesiastes 8:14 KJV 1900

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

Learn to Enjoy Life Despite Injustice

God is okay with men enjoying life even when it isn’t perfect

Ecclesiastes 8:15 KJV 1900

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

You are not in control and brings frustration to try

Ecclesiastes 8:16–17 KJV 1900

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:) Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

God is in Control

Ecclesiastes 9:1 KJV 1900

For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.