Throwing Out The Baby
Throwing Out The Baby. . .
Ecclesiastes: 7:15-18
1. Meaningless Life – v. 15
Th is a surprising observation to me to think that Solomon saw things this way. He was perhaps the most renowned of all the kings of Israel – especially regarding his wisdom and his outlook is so incredibly cynical throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. The conclusion of the matter as he records in the 12th chapter of the book is as follows:
13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Still he speaks in emotional terms for his life was far from meaningful. There are times when we see life from some fairly extreme perspectives as well. When things begin to go wrong it is difficult to find solid ground and clear perspective in order to establish direction as opposed to going in circles and spending our energies in non-productive ways.
THE FORGOTTEN 10 OTHER COMMANDMENTS
1. Thou shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
2. Thou shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
3. Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.
4. Thou shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.
5. Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
6. Thou shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you can.
7. Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!
8. Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear different ideas from your own. It is hard to learn something new when you are talking, and some people do know more than you do.
9. Thou shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
10. Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.
q Life is impartial – How’s life? – ever get that question? I’ve concluded that life is just life – nothing more and nothing less. It is in many ways more important what our perspective on life is. Ill. Doing great – my opinion – but really my opinion is the most important when it comes to the current state of affairs.
q We are neither punished nor rewarded in this life. “It is appointed to man once to die and then the judgment.” The accounts will be settled once and for all when we all stand before God. This is neither a place of rewards or judgment. God blesses in this life and there are natural processes that are at work in this world that are likely to place us in positions of greater advantage should we pursue them but you can’t depend on life to be anything but undependable.
2. Meaningful Advice – v. 16,17
q Overrighteous – You can be too focused on the compartmentalized view of Christian living. Christianity can become a very secluded subculture that exists in a side-by-side fashion with life but rarely intersects with it. The church, operating without a clear sense of priority can structure it’s programs to be come very self-serving.
MK 10:41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [42] Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
q Overwise – You can think too much.
“In my conversations with younger brothers and sisters, one question comes up again and again. It is: How can I know that I am walking in the Spirit? How do I distinguish which prompting within me is from the Holy Spirit and which is from myself.? It seems that all are alike in this; but some have gone further. They are trying to look within, to differentiate, to discriminate, to analyze and in doing so are bringing themselves into deeper bondage. Now this is a situation which is really dangerous to the Christian life, for inward knowledge will never be reached along the barren path of self-analysis. We are never told in the Word of God to examine our inward condition. That way leads only to uncertainty, vacillation and despair. Of course we have to have self-knowledge. We have to know what’s going on within.
. . . . But such self-knowledge does not come from our turning within, by our analyzing our feelings and motives and everything that is going on inside and then trying to pronounce whether we are walking in the flesh or in the Spirit.” P. 236-238 – The Normal Christian Life.
Ill. 17-Point Checklist - Golf
q Overwicked – Sin is never satisfied with our offerings. More is always required. Sin tolerated will continue to demand more of us as we steadily earn our wage of destruction. We spend lifetimes trading what is most precious for that which brings eternal ruin. It is a spiral downward.
3. Maintain Balance v. 18a
Don’t let go. Sometimes we establish positions of righteousness based on the “wrong” that we see in other things. This is an incredibly unhealthy pattern of thinking. To let the wrong or the inconsistencies or the failures of others establish the way of righteousness for us. Reaction formation. Sometimes we go so far in the opposite direction to avoid what we do not like in others that we hurt ourselves. (Dad – laziness – “sucking up” to people – there was a part of me that almost didn’t want to be civil to people who might be able to help me in life) We do it in the church – we want to cast loose from our moorings thinking that one rope will hold the boat fast to the dock. It needs to be secured by both ends otherwise it will beat itself to death in the tides. Evangelism/Discipleship, Quality/Quantity, Hymns/Choruses, Justice/Mercy _ On and on the list goes.
4. Middle Ground v. 18b
Avoid extremes – Often we are driven to extremes.
Hurt
Zeal without knowledge
Pride
Anger
Self will
Our emotional natures tend to cause us at least momentarily to lose connection with our spiritual reserves. It is never a good time to make decisions or reach conclusions when we are choked and blinded by negative emotion.
Sometimes this is a call to strengthen ourselves emtotionally.
HEB 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. [13] "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Life’s rough spots can reveal our own deficiencies and weaknesses.