The Unparalyzed Life

Introduction

Growing up, my favorite movie to watch was Superman II, the original Richard Lester release, not Richard Donner’s release that came out years later. We had it recorded on a BetaMax tape from when it was aired on television—with commercials and all. By the time I was a teen, I had the movie practically memorized and many of the commercials too! When I would go to the movie-rental store in town, the owner knew me. If I took too long deciding what I’d like, he’d suggest that I just get Superman II. In fact, after a while, he just let me rent it without paying for it. I was the only one to select it.

Christopher Reeve’s Superman was an alien larger than life and yet so deeply human. He was strong and smart, and he could fly! Nothing could stop him—not even three Kryptonians that all had the same powers as he. Christopher Reeve was Superman. But on May 27, 1995, in a freak accident, Christopher Reeve was thrown from his horse and severely injured his spinal cord. For the rest of his days, this larger-than-life Superman was confined to a wheelchair, a tetraplegic—paralyzed from the neck down.

When the brain can no longer communicate with the body—whether due to a spinal injury or stroke—movement stops. Most of us will never experience physical paralysis, but many of us know of another kind. Fear can paralyze us so that we cannot move forward with our lives at times.

Perhaps you’ve dealt with this type of paralysis. Maybe you still do. Your mind fills with questions like, “What if I make the wrong decision? What if I’m out of God’s will? What if I ruin my chances? What if I lose everything?” These are real questions, and Solomon confronts this type of thinking head on in Ecclesiastes 11.

As we open up Ecclesiastes this morning, I want us to see four expressions of wisdom.

The Wisdom of Diversification (vv. 1-2)

The Wisdom of Limitation (vv. 3-6)

The Wisdom of Gratification (vv. 7-8)

The Wisdom of Amputation (vv. 9-10)

The Wisdom of Diversification

The first expression of wisdom that comes from Ecclesiastes 11, is the Wisdom of Diversification.

Ecclesiastes 11:1–2 ESV

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.

In this text, Solomon is encouraging people to plan for the future, but that’s precisely where fear tends to grip our hearts. The future is unknown, and what is unknown is often scary for people. Thus, Solomon tells his listeners to alleviate some of that fear; they are to cast their bread upon the waters.

That sounds weird to us. Why would I cast my bread upon the waters? It sounds like we’re feeding the ducks out on a pond or something. We’re far from the culture that Solomon and his listeners lived in; that’s not what he was meaning. What may help us out is knowing that bread was often used as a metaphor for livelihood or sustenance. So then, when Solomon tells us to cast our livelihood—what gives us sustenance—upon the waters, he’s implying that there must be some risk in life and livelihood, but the return will be worth the risk. You will find it—your livelihood and sustenance—after many days.

The idea, however, is to cast it upon the waters (plural), not simply water (singular). For Solomon that may have meant sending various goods down the various waterways to various nations and then receiving back from those items, the spices, gold, lumber, and other goods that he desired. For a farmer, it would mean loading ships with grain to sell at various markets and so receive back the money or bartered goods. What none of them would do—or at least should avoid—was sending all of their goods on the same ship or on the same waterways at the same time. Why? Because disaster could strike! They’d lose everything.

The point that Solomon wanted to make here is that the future is certainly risky—it’s unknown. But risk isn’t an excuse for inaction. Not at all! We continue to move forward, and take those risks into the unknown, but we do so with wisdom—diversifying our livelihood, so that if disaster struck on the Mississippi, it probably would not strike on the Missouri. But if it did, the Illinois and Ohio’s should be safe.

Solomon says the same thing in verse 2, but in a different way. “Give a portion to seven or eight.” He doesn’t say what those seven or eight are. He seems to purposely leave vague whatever it is to which he refers . They could be waterways or ships, they could be people, or they could be stores. The NET Bible interprets them as “investments,” which catches the idea because the idea is spreading your wealth out. We have a saying that is similar—don’t put all your eggs into one basket. That’s what he’s saying. He doesn’t actually mean that we have to have seven or eight items, but we certainly want a few—more than one or two baskets to put our eggs in.

Solomon readily admits the danger and risks—“for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.” The wise solution that can move us forward is to diversify. And the implications of diversification are abundant. Not only can we do it in the stock market, but many believe that Solomon was referring to what we’d call philanthropic giving, especially to the poor. If so, then it certainly coincides with what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:9-10

2 Corinthians 9:9–10 ESV

As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

When giving to those in need—whether on the streets or through the church or some charity—we have no idea what the outcome will be, and yet we can trust God and the principle of casting our bread upon the waters. He will do more with it than we could imagine, and we will in some way be blessed by the actions we take.

Similarly, giving to missions is another way we can diversify. Will every missionary have the results we want or expect? Probably not. But we still give. Currently we are giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in hopes of supporting North American missionaries in their endeavors to reach the communities, states, and reservations for Jesus.

But it isn’t just about our money; this could be applied to our time and gifts. God calls us to be generous with both. Both lead to greater unity and the building up of the body.

We must not be afraid of getting decisions wrong or taking risks. We can mitigate both possibilities by living in the wisdom of diversification.

The Wisdom of Limitation

But Solomon gives more than just the expression of wisdom through diversification. There is also the wisdom of limitation. By that, I simply mean that we need to keep in mind that we are finite—limited creatures, and we were meant to be.

Ecclesiastes 11:3–6 ESV

If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Solomon gives us a list of everyday realities in life that show how little control we actually have: the falling rain and falling trees, the blowing of the wind, life forming in the womb, and the work of God in all areas of life. We accept that these events happen. While we’d like to control the weather or make sure that our baby is healthy in the womb, we also know there isn’t much we can do that brings about the desired outcome. That’s his point.

A farmer who waits for the perfect condition—the observing the wind or regarding the clouds—will never reap the benefits of his labor because he will never labor! If we’re waiting for perfect conditions to act, we will find that we will never act. Choosing to wait for perfect conditions is choosing not to act.

This is the case with many young people when it comes to getting married. We need our education, a job, a house, financial stability. If couples wait for perfect conditions, they will find themselves waiting for eternity—literally, because that’s the only time conditions will be perfect, and by then we will find that there will be no giving or being given in marriage. The same goes with having children. There is no perfect timing in an imperfect world.

We could apply this to evangelism as well. We want to build relationships, but then suddenly we don’t want to risk them. We want to know how to answer every possible question. We don’t want to cause a scene. Suddenly, we find that we never actually have talked to anyone about the most important moment of their lives.

We have a long list of “perfect moment” excuses. Solomon says we need to stop waiting and start moving.

God is sovereign; we are not. God’s abilities are unlimited; ours are more limited than we care to admit. Hence, Solomon encourages his hearers and readers to get up and get to work. We have no idea what the future holds. That ought not paralyze us; it ought to make us work that much harder. Many of us tend to focus on all the negatives that could happen, and Solomon confesses that those are possibilities. But he is also mindful of the positive consequences. We may not control the outcomes, but we are free to act while trusting God with the results.

The Wisdom of Gratification

Still Solomon doesn’t just give us only the wisdom of diversification and limitation, but he also shows us that there is the wisdom of gratification.

Ecclesiastes 11:7–8 ESV

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

When Solomon refers to the fact that light is sweet, he is referring to the fact that being alive is good. It’s similar to our expression which says, “Every day that we wake up is a good day.” What Solomon is therefore encouraging is to actually receive it that way.

The other day I was meditating on Psalm 118:24, and I sent to the men in our text group my thoughts.

Imagine a young boy waking up early on Father's Day to make his daddy a Father's Day breakfast--all by himself. The toast is burned, the eggs are salty and a little runny, and (since this happens in Georgia) the grits are a little too al dente. How does the dad respond? Hopefully with joy. It's definitely not what the dad would have made, but it is what the boy made for the dad out of love. Therefore, we think rightly that the dad ought not complain but enjoy the breakfast and brag to everyone that his son made him breakfast.

This morning, as I was praying, Psalm 118:24 came to mind. "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." You may think, "Chris, the boy was only a boy. He didn't mean to burn the toast and under cook the rest; he was only doing his best." That's true. But God always gives his best to his children, and it’s always perfect, purposeful, and providential; sometimes that means we get burnt toast and runny eggs. It's not what we would have made if it was us, but it's what a loving Father made for us with intent. How then ought we respond? Perhaps with a little less critique and a little more rejoicing.

And Solomon would say: with gratification. We enjoy it all as best we can while we can. There will be dark days. Some would interpret this to mean what happens after death, but others believe Solomon is referring to this life. There will be many dark days when the sun does not shine: when death sting has stung, when betrayals have come, when evil seems to conquer and have its way. What do we do then? We still rejoice—in the Lord.

This is where men like William Cowper can help us. He was a contemporary and a good friend of John Newton—the man who wrote “Amazing Grace,” and other hymns. In fact, he lived with him for a time. Cowper was a man who lived in darkness, severely depressed having tried to take his life multiple times yet failed every time. As ironic as it might seem, he still had great hope in the Lord. He wrote one of the most beautiful hymns about that hope—living in gratitude even on the darkest of days:

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

Even the darkest of days are made providentially, purposefully, and perfectly by the Lord, and though they to indicate that he is frowning and displeased with us, in reality he is smiling upon us; we simply just may not see it or understand it.

Solomon went on to say that all that comes is vanity. In this sense, he means that it is a vapor—a mist. If you’ve ever driven over a river in the early hours when a mist/fog has fallen upon it, you know how blinding it can be to that which is in front of you. Yet, it is something that you’re able to go through. Yet as we pass through, we cannot believe that in just a few short hours, all the gray will evaporate and be no more.

2 Corinthians 4:17–18 ESV

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The Wisdom of Amputation

So far we have seen three of the four expressions of wisdom: in diversification, limitation, and gratification. Now we look at the fourth expression: the Wisdom of Amputation.

Ecclesiastes 11:9–10 ESV

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

There is that idea of gratification as well. Young people simply don’t understand how good they have it. They need to be reminded from time to time that these days of youth are a gift to be received with joy. Again, Solomon says they are vanity. They’re fleeting—just like that morning fog over the river.

But he also wrote something rather strange—at least for we who are familiar with Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” And the indictment of Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Solomon tells the young man to walk in the ways of his heart and the sight of his eyes. Now, some say that he was being sarcastic, and that very well may be, but I think he was intentionally shocking. How does Solomon invite the young man to follow wayward eyes and foolish heart—those of which he has spoken of in such negative terms throughout wisdom literature? I think he was intentionally provocative, in the same way Augustine was when he wrote that we should “Love God, and do as you please.” If we love God, that which pleases him becomes our pleasure as well.

Yes! Follow the ways your heart and the sight of your eyes, keeping in mind that we will one day be judged.

So if we were to do what our hearts desire, but remember the judgment that awaits, what should we do? Solomon gives the answer: remove vexation from your heart. We don’t manage our sin. We don’t make peace with our sin. We cut it out. We amputate it.

That’s the wisdom of amputation. Amputate vexation—that which provokes us to sin. Amputate the pain (that’s the ESV’s rendering of the Hebrew word, but it means “evil”) Amputate the evil from your body. Do you see the two-fold process? There is vexation—a provocation in the heart that then expresses itself through the evil of the body. Both must be dealt with—severely and quickly. James reminds us in

James 1:14–15 ESV

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

The desire to sin is in the heart—it’s provoking us. It gives birth, expressing itself in the evils that our bodies do with it. Solomons says amputate them both.

This is no different than Jesus telling us that we ought to pluck out the eye if it offends for it is better to go to heaven with one eye than hell with both. It’s no different than Moses and Paul telling us to circumcise our hearts—to cut out that which is offensive and sinful.

There is wisdom in amputation. It is painful for sure, but it is necessary. It’s the only way that we can live and move forward being honest with God and ourselves. So those questions of whether or not we should follow our hearts are answered: yes, but only when we do so knowing how prone to wander our hearts really are and knowing that God will judge us in the end. That’s why we go to war with our sin and never make peace with it. We amputate the sin at its root and at its expression. That’s when we can actually start living in joy but also in rightful fear of God.

Conclusion

As we close out Ecclesiastes 11, we’ve seen how Solomon has given us the wisdom to escape paralysis; he gave us the wisdom of diversification, limitation, gratification, and amputation. Christopher Reeve eventually died due to complications of his paralysis; we don’t have to. As we grow in wisdom, fear loosens its paralyzing grip, and faith moves us forward.

You may have noticed how Solomon is winding up his book of wisdom. Parts of chapter 11, sound a lot like Ecclesiastes 12. Almost every week, we have tried to link whatever passage of Ecclesiastes we were in back to the last two verses of that chapter.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 ESV

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

That fear God and keep his commandments can paralyze us; the fact that God will bring every deed into judgment can stop us from moving. But there’s no need to be paralyzed about the future. Accept your limits, and receive with joy all that God gives. Cut out sin without hesitation. And if, in all of that, you still fear God’s judgment, remember Jesus Christ has taken his wrath on behalf of all who are in him.

If we were to live by the wisdom that we’ve just studied, we need not fear wasting our lives in this world, but with Christ we need not fear eternity either.