Read: Ecclesiastes 12:11-14
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (v. 13)
I can list hundreds of unfulfilled dreams from childhood. I desired to go to army school, wanted to marry a girl I was infatuated with, and dreamt of being a Bollywood movie star. Then, I desired to join the Indian air force and fly a jet. The list goes on and on. In other words, the list of my failures is longer than my successes. And few successes, in reality, just fell into my lap without my really working for them.
The lesson of wisdom from the book of Ecclesiastes is that there is no human being “under the sun” who has achieved everything they desired (2:1-11), and no accomplishment fully satisfies (6:7). There are suppressed regrets and sorrows behind every smile, and everyone ultimately faces the tyranny of time and age (8:8; 9:11). Life is more than our accomplishments.
In contrast to the “vanity” and “striving after the wind” lamented in Ecclesiastes, Jesus didn’t mention accomplishments among the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. His definition of accomplishment was very different, and at the end, Jesus promised an eternal, lasting reward (v. 12). In other words, even with our failures, we can receive a blessing that will stay with us forever. Achievement in worldly success matters little. Showing God awesome respect and obeying him is all that really matters. We do this through our one true blessing in life—Jesus Christ. —Dr. A.K. Lama
As you pray, ask God to help you pursue the accomplishments that really matter.
About the Author
SE Asia Ministry Leader
Words of Hope’s South Asia Ministry field leader is based in India and works with more than 70 team members sharing the hope of the gospel in more than 20 languages. Because of security concerns, we have chosen not to share his name.
