Poor & Wise or Old & Foolish

13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

The Lord doesn’t look at our riches or station in life. He looks at our hearts. It is better to be poor and wise than old and foolish. Ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment.

…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1Samuel  16:7 

For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:11 

True wisdom is to know what is best worth knowing and to do what is best worth doing. ~ Edward Humphrey

Suppose that a man would advertise to take photographs of the heart; would he get many customers? ~ D.L. Moody

What are your motives for doing what you do? Is your heart and motives “lined up’ with God?

Have a blessed day, 

Donna

Alone

8  There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. :9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:8-12

It is always better to have someone with you. It is never good to be alone. Sure we all love quiet time by ourselves but it is hard to live a life like that. We all need someone. There are many songs that share those sentiments.

Is there someone you know who is alone? A kind word, a warm meal, a note written to encourage them, there is always something we can do. Reach out and “touch” someone today and let them know they are not alone. 

Have a blessed day,
Donna

Envy

4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4:4-7

Here we have a case of someone doing the right thing, working, and his neighbor is envious. Is he envious that the man is working and supporting himself and maybe a family? Envy is a sad emotion that only eats up the one who is envious. Most of the time the person/people you envy do not even know. They are too busy working or enjoying their life.

It appears that the envious man is sitting there with his hands folded and watching others go about doing their work. We all have the same opportunities some just need to work harder than others that is not a reason to envy someone.

Are you harboring envy in your heart? Envy will make one a bitter person.

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 14:30 

Do not let the envy get “into your bones”. Ask the Lord to forgive you for envious feelings.

Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope. ~ Josh Billings

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. ~ Harold Coffin

Have a blessed day, 

Donna

Oppressions

1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

Solomon is again thinking of all the oppressions around him.  Evil triumphed even in Solomon’s time (Ecclesiastes 3:16). He says many times throughout this book everything that happens is “under the sun”. It is the way of the world, the day to day happenings.

He saw all this occurring in the judicial system. The exploited are oppressed more and more while the oppressors have all the power. There was no one who could deliver them. This was a sad state of affairs. Solomon was so saddened by this that he said it was better to die then live with the oppression.

Many years before Solomon arrived at this conclusion, way back in the book of Genesis we are told “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  (Genesis 6:5)

Times have not changed. Man’s heart is still evil but praise God He has sent a solution in the life of His Son.

Have a blessed day,
Donna