18 I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
- How did Solomon feel after his evaluation of wisdom and folly?
- How did that affect his view of all that he had accomplished? - Briefly, what was the problem that Solomon saw with accomplishing great things?
- What are the risks of seeking to leave a legacy under the sun?
- Why did Solomon conclude that leaving a legacy of accomplishments was vanity? - What was Solomon's appraisal of a person's labor under the sun?
- What was the curse that God put on man in the Garden?
- How does that curse show up in Solomon's appraisal? - How does being aware of your mortality influence the decisions you make daily?
- How much of your identity is attached to your work or accomplishments?
- Why is it tempting to attach your identity to an accomplishment? - How many nights have you lost sleep over some project at work?
- What have you gotten from your lost sleep?
- Why do some people obsess about their work and others don't care about their work?
- What are the risks of each?
Oh, this passage speaks to me at this point in my life! Nearly thirty years ago I had an idea for something at my job. Between 1980 and 1998, I had tried and failed 8 times to realize this idea. With full support of my employer, the idea came to partial fruition in late 2001. Much of my life, thoughts, and energy are tied up in this vision that I had. I've reached the age where retirement is something to think towards and one of the little nagging concerns is what will happen to my idea. Will the person who comes after me take the baton and continue the race or will they drop the baton and decide to clean their shoes? To deal with the vanity, I have had to change my identity. I have to see the idea as a good thing, not an eternal thing. It took almost 20 years of technological advancement for me to be able to move the idea forward. In another 20 years, my idea will undoubtedly be replaced by something better. Is what you are chasing simply a good thing or do you have your identity tied up in it? If the latter, it is just vanity.
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