“So I commended
mirth, that a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, and to drink,
and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labor all the days
of his life which God has given him under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15)
One of the essential messages of the Kohelet is
brought back to emphasize that we must approach life with and for the goodness
that God commands us to enjoy in this world. Being, doing and pursuing goodness
is our daily labor in this material world under the sun.
“When I applied my
heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done upon the earth, for
neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes; then I beheld all the
work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun;
because though a man labors to seek it out, yet he shall not find it. Yea
further, though a wise man thinks to know it, yet shall he not be able to find
it.” (8:16-17)
The encompassing commandment to pursuing
goodness with its ways, means, attributes and expressions is what matters to us,
for in these we are strengthened to fulfill the labor of complying with what God wants
for us which is our well being. There is no other better labor than that, for
God’s works are unfathomable by human discernment.
In this awareness, we realize that goodness is
enough for itself, and there is no need or profit to look for it beyond the
realm where God planted us.
“For all this I
laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the
wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred,
man knows it not; all is before them.” (9:1)
This is one of the most profound messages of Kohelet,
for it is about the connection that human goodness has with God’s goodness. In
this awareness all our good actions speak for themselves, for these are the
purpose of the goodness from where they come. Indeed goodness loves positive
and constructive actions, and rejects or hates all that oppose them.
Thus we understand that rejecting negative
traits, trends and expressions is inherent in true love and goodness. In this
context “all” is what is available for us to deal with the right approach,
which is goodness for the sake of it.
“All things come
alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the
good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that offers sacrifices and to
him that does not offer sacrifices; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he
who has sworn as he that fears an oath.” (9:2)
All situations come to everyone, regardless the
condition of each. The difference lies on how we approach them. Even for a good
situation or positive action there is one who rather chooses to sin or transgress
against it, and also one who chooses to act with the same goodness. The latter must do what is right to honor a promise or an oath, while the former prefers
not to do it out lack of honor or commitment.
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