Ecclesiastes 11:1-5, 9-10; 12:13-14
John Maxwell once spoke about the time he and some friends were philosophically discussing wealth. They were addressing the question, “How much do you have to have in order to be rich?”
One man said $1 million. Another said $5 million. Still another said $10 million. Maxwell said he believed they were all wrong, because the right answer is not a dollar amount, because richness is to be evaluated instead by how we invest in life.
What does that mean? It means creating positive relationships, serving others and making the most of the time we have. In other words, richness is not based upon material possessions, but in that which defines and completes who we are as humans created in the image of God.
Today’s scriptures speak of three worthy objectives. First, the Teacher tells us to invest fully in life. We are to be giving people. The concept in 11:1-3 is that if the bread (grain) is generously cast upon the water in the flood season, there is a much greater chance of the grain taking root and yielding a bountiful harvest, grain that will help feed the poor and needy.
Give God a chance to work. We can’t always see and know what He is doing. Second, it tells us to have a right relationship with God.
A consistent biblical theme is for believers in God to “fear” Him (12:13). Fear is the strongest word that could be used to describe the holy respect and reverence we are to have for our Lord. In His sovereignty, God will correctly judge every action, whether good or evil.
Third, it provides a model for church evangelism. We should take the command to sow in the morning and the evening to heart (11:6), using whatever means we can to share the Good News with as many as we can without overlooking the opportunity to share Christ with the one. That’s the answer.