Down through the eons of time, empires, dynasties, and eminent civilizations, have achieved great heights, and then come down like the salmon leaves of autumn, brought low by the same, troublesome human nature that has hobbled mankind since ol’ Cain cudgeled Abel. Learned philosophers and renowned historians have devoted their lives to the study of these events, producing ponderous, voluminous anthologies, which grace the shelves of celebrated centers of higher learning all over the world. And today, when similar behavior threatens our own aspiring metropolis, we scratch our head, and wring our hands, and wonder what the hell happened. I feel tremendous empathy for people as individuals. As a species, I think we’re highly overrated.
King Solomon lamented, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, vanity and vexation of spirit” Truer words were never spoken; much of life seems meaningless. I’ve often been the victim of unrealistic expectations myself. We never outgrow our longing to fill our rooms with the same toys the big kids have, whether we can afford them or not. Those who achieve the affluence to reach their goals are understandably swelled by the accomplishment. Too often, long sought goals once reached, become a burden, and dreams, once realized, generally disappoint.
Reflecting on the life of Solomon, the Bible encourages us to enjoy the simple pleasures of our Christian lives and labors; these are our portion; these are a gift from God. Eat, drink and find gratification through savoring your life and humbly serving others. Offer your heart, and God will surely fill it. Micah 6:8 points out, that in order to attain goodness in Gods eyes, we need only follow Christ’s example: “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” STC
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