The Solomon Project-- Ecclesiastes 11:3-6

For the rationale of this blog please earlier blogs. This week we look at the acts of nature and how they correspond to human life.

"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie." (Ecc 11:3 NIV) Two illustrations are given here. The first refers to certainty and the second to finality. the terms "north" and "south" are a merism referring to whatever direction the tree may fall. Clouds and rain storms can be clearly seen. The falling of a tree may not. Walking through the forest you will find a tree fallen. You may not have heard it (yes contrary to philosophical musings it will make a noise). It may have been standing the day before or the week before but "today" as you observe it, it has fallen without any warning.

"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." (Ecc 11:4 NIV) The agricultural metaphors here will not make much sense to those who have not worked in agriculture. Sowing seed by hand must be done on a calm day or the seed willl not fall evenly on the ground. Secondly wind portends bad weather many times. The problem is that if one waits for the perfect time nothing will ever get done. If you wait for a perfectly calm day you may miss the entire planting season. The same goes for the concept of reaping. This is the second of two merisms from nature. The first being the tree falling either to the north or to the south. Here the merism involves planting the beginning of the season and reaping the end of the season. It includes everything in between. The concept of clouds picks up the metaphor from the earlier verse (verse 3). Clouds bring rain and can ruin a harvest. Diligence calls for bringing in that harvest at just the right time and action before fall and winter rains hit. This calls for prudence dilligence and planning, all things that the author has been expounding by a variety of methods in this book.

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecc 11:5 NIV) Without infinite knowledge one may think (believe?) that we are incapable of functioning. There are inscrutable things we still do not know. Solomon's point is that wisdom while limited is sufficient for sunctioning in life. Absolute knowledge is unattainable but not needed to function in life.

"Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." (Ecc 11:6 NIV) Solomon returns to the agricultural metaphor in this verse. The winds are calm in the morning and are the perfect time for sowing seed. however it does not mean that one whould continue sowing all day long (as some think). The verse continues to talk about not allowing your hands to be idle in the evening. The metaphor applies to work morning and evening. The merism (both ends of the spectrum of an activity which include everything in between) applies to work throughout the day and into the evening. Bear in mind that if you did not sow you did not reap and if you did not reap you and any of your livestock may not eat. This was a life and death situation. Wisdom, not infinite knowledge, teaches us to act strategically in living life. Earlier Solomon urges us to do whatever is immediately at hand with complete focus and passion (9:10).

Thus through trading on the high seas and the lessons of nature and agriculture Solomon encourages us to take risks, give generously and act diligently and prudently in the affairs of life. Carpe Diem!!

What does this have to do with those of us who struggle with addiction and compulsivity? Many times an accompanying disorder is anxiety. We call it the "desease of needing to know" Infinite knowledge would be overwhelming. We must learn to work with the knowledge we have been given and make wise choices based upon those facts. We can succomb to the "paralysis of analysis." Those who struggle with addiction are especially afflicted with the need for predictability: Responses of those in our close relationships, at work, our friends. Solomon is saying that life in unpredictable. But God is the maker of all things. We tend to think of that in terms of concrete objects but it refers to time, space, thoughts and events not just the physical world. The AA Big Book talks about giving freely (p. 164). How well do you do at that? Many times addicts and compulsive people consume everything with the addiction. Giving to others of what we find in our twelve step programs or of our lives turns us from the addiction and to others. How do dilligence and prudence fit into your recovery plan? What have you done today to move yourself forward in recovery? What focused action was taken this day to say that you will be a better person tomorrow? Our time is up for this session. So until next week keep coming back it works if your work it and you're worth it.