Appropriate Actions and Remembering God (Ecc 11: 6-10)

APPROPRIATE ACTIONS AND REMEMBERING GOD (Ecc 11: 6-10):

After writing about the incomprehensible works of God, the author continues to write about the actions of mankind. The author says to sow the seed in the evening and not to withhold the hand in the evening, for it is not certain in knowing which one would prosper whether the seed sown in the morning or sown in the evening or whether both alike will be good. Man is not certain about the timing and the things that will be fruitful and beneficial, but he needs to do his part of initiating good things for a common good and God would bless certainly certain things according to His eternal plan and purpose. The author then writes that Light is sweet and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. Light makes life possible and interesting. It helps to identify as well as clarify things and helps the seeds to germinate and bear fruits. Light has many other benefits and refreshes our thoughts and actions.

Everyone does the best part when they do what is right and perceive goodness. Thereby the author says that if a person lives many years, the person shall rejoice in them all but the person should remember that the days of darkness will be many and all that comes is vanity. The ultimate desire of everyone is to be happy as far as possible and they can rejoice in all the days of life only when they have right actions with the right attitude, which could be possible only by the love and fear of God, by following the commandments of God. At the same time, there are sufferings and separations that are the days of darkness when a person live longer, which makes all the things as vanity, and puts a want in a person's heart that the Lord alone could fill.

The author further writes to the young man to rejoice in his youth and says that let his heart cheer him in the days of his youth. He shall walk in the ways of his heart and the sight of his eyes, but he should know that for all those things God will bring him into judgment. The author also writes to remove vexation from his heart and put away pain from his body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. The young age is the age of exploration and strength. Many of the futuristic things are decided at a young age. At the same time it’s an age where many things could be wrongly chosen in the attempt to gratify self, leaving vain without solving the purpose, causing the deepest scar or following something continuous out of compulsion which is inappropriate. The young person should be aware that his actions will be judged by the righteous Judge who is Sovereign God. The young age passes and the drive, as well as strength of the physicality, goes off after some point of life, and therefore the young people should remove displeasing things in the heart and impurities in the body, in order live worthy in God and live a purpose filled life. 

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    When a person should sow a seed? Why?

2.    When a person should not withhold? Why?

3.    Which is sweet? Why?

4.    How the light is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun?

5.    In what a person should rejoice? How?

6.    What a person should remember in the days of life?

7.    How can a young man rejoice?

8.    How a young man ought to walk, according to the author?

9.    What is the caution given by the author to a young man?

10.  What a young man should remove? Why?

11.    How we can do our part rightly without expecting a result from everything?

12.    How we can rejoice in a Godly way, in our youth?