“Like the fool, the wise too must die.”
Ecclesiastes 2:16b
Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day. We remembered those who have served in the armed forces to protect our freedoms and some who have given their lives in war. The Teacher in Ecclesiastes in chapter 2:12-16 too contemplates “death”, the ultimate equalizer, as he turns to comparing people who live wisely versus those who live foolishly. He reflects that his follower will have a hard time following him and doing more than he has done. Will anyone remember him? He compares the wise to people walking in the light as opposed to the foolish who are like people stumbling in the dark. But then he laments that the fate of both is that death awaits both. And so he ponders what the advantage of living the good life is questionable if ultimately we all die. That is a good question that might not be so obvious in it’s answer.
The Teacher concludes that life is meaningless if we all die. How would you answer? I would argue that the value of life does indeed not lie in the “goodies” we accumulate or who remembers us but in the quality of the relationships we generate. Part of the answer might, lie in the difference between light as illumination and light that gives sight and understanding. The sun shines for all people, the good and the and the bad. We all have “illumination” during the daylight hours and can see the world but that does not mean that we “see” or can grasp the meaning of that which we are experiencing. Fools have the light of illumination but the wise also have insight into what they are seeing. Being able to leap and jump is better than falling and stumbling and limping along with bruised knees and twisted ankles. It is true that we all die but quality of life is important and not meaningless.
As we pray today let us pray for eyes to see and understand what is going on around us. Lord, guard us from foolishly stumbling through today and missing the gifts you have for us.
On the Way to Wonder 