When I think of the book of Ecclesiastes, I think of the depressing perspective Solomon has on life—that it is fleeting (a mist, a vapor, grass) and that our work and all we do is really in vain because life ends and it is all gone. Depressing.

But tonight, in reading  Ecclesiastes 3, I realized that Solomon really does see both a good side and a rather bleak side of life:

Ecclesiastes 3 (ESV)

(A Time for Everything)

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Today, I decided to focus on just the positive aspects of this passage, as too often, we remember the negative.

Solomon details that there is much good offered to us in life. Birth. Planting and harvesting. Healing. Building up. Laughing and dancing. Gathering stones. Embracing. Seeking. Keeping. Both silence and speaking. Love. And, peace.

I love the fact that God not only births us into this world, but He gives us the opportunity for rebirth and for the newness of life, no matter what our age. He continues to revitalize us and renew our spirits. New dreams. New friends. New plans. We serve a God that likes to offer us fresh starts. And for that, I am eternally grateful!

Planting and harvesting are different experiences—but both are pleasant. Planting always involves hope. We put the seeds in the ground and have every expectation of a bumper crop. Harvest involved taking account for the work we have already put in—and bringing forth the fruit of the efforts that we have already put in. Bounty is joyful. Blight—less so.

As Christians, we know that we plant and harvest with God. One of our main callings is to make disciples of all men—and so the true harvest, the true accounting, will be what we have planted and harvested in terms of the Kingdom of God. This should be on our minds at all time. What are we doing to plant well in the Kingdom?

Healing and building up are also charges we are given as Christians. They provide meaning in life. They also require us to set aside our plans and our own desires and focus on others. In these activities, we serve as the hands and feet of God. They provide meaning to our lives.

Laughing and dancing are like the lace on the tablecloth. They embellish our lives with joy. And, who doesn’t like to laugh and dance?

Gathering stones is gathering resources for the time when rebuilding is needed. I think of this in terms of reading Scripture or reflecting on the lives of noteworthy Christians and filling my heart and mind with the thoughts of hope and life that will benefit me when troubling times come upon me.

Embracing and seeking are both verbs requiring action on our part. Sometimes the good things in life require that we take action. We pause to embrace that which we treasure. We seek to find what we don’t currently have but what will add benefit to our lives. Both require that we take the initiative. At times, we must take the first step and move toward the good—that we have now or that we anticipate.

Keeping and sewing both involve taking care of what we have. We work to maintain what God has given us, and in this way, we appreciate the good in our lives even more.

Silence and speaking both bring joy to our lives. In silence, we listen and learn. In speaking, we share ideas and insights that we have. There is a time for both. Wisdom is needed to know the appropriate time for each.

Lastly, we have love and peace. These are God’s ultimate gift—that we are given to drink from at all times. We must pause, reflect, and tune into these gifts, no matter the circumstances.

This is the wisdom of Solomon.

The wisdom which is just as meaningful for us now as it was more than 2,000 years ago when it was written.

God’s wisdom is eternal—and it brings us joy!