Scrooge - 12/21/07

Ecclesiastes 7:4, 10, 12, & 14, "A wise person thinks about death, but a fool thinks only about having a good time. Don't ask, 'Why was life better in the 'good old days'?' It is not wise to ask such questions. Wisdom ... can save whoever has it. When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember: God gives good times and hard times, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring."

CHRISTMAS PAST: I confessed to Melissa the other day that I don't like Christmas anymore. It used to be a time of family and friends; the pressure and expense of gift-giving was balanced by the excitement over the one time throughtout the year that everybody gets together. It was celebration. It was family. It perpetuated the warm and fuzzy feelings from my childhood. Those were the "good old days" of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT: That all changed with my mom's death. We had no idea at the time, but she was truly the "glue" that held our family together. I still see my family sporadically, but there have been divisions that prevent us from meeting as a group. Plus, my brother and I have since married, so our prioritites have changed. Christmas is no longer what it used to be and consequently, I don't care about it anymore.

CHRISTMAS FUTURE: This is the situation that came to mind as soon as I read chapter 7 of Ecclesiastes. The whole chapter is filled with great wisdom - as is all of King Solomon's writing. This particular book is full of wisdom gained after despairing over the trials and meaninglessness of life - and how that is all made worthwhile by the end in store for us. But, these lines in particular jumped out at me and spoke to my situation. That's one reason the Bible is called "The Living Word." Its verses seem to change themselves to reveal meanings that speak to individuals in their current situation.

The first line here says a wise person thinks about death, a fool about having a good time. At first, I thought, "Well, I lost my mom. Of course I'm thinking about death. Look how wise I am!" But, I was reminded of Christmas. I wanted only to have a good time - for the holidays to fit into my mold; my definition of celebration. That's not what life is about. We are to treasure what we have, not what we've lost, since we all die. I was not wise, I was a fool.

The verses emphasize we are not wise to ponder "the good old days." It continues to explain the importance of wisdom ... it can save whoever has it. Save us from what? I think probably depression. Anger. Sadness. Rash decisions. Regrettable words. Ourselves.

So in wisdom, we should remember what this verse says: "God gives us good times and hard times, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring."

Experiencing loss is an inevitability. It's bound to happen again. But tomorrow can also bring Great Joy, as the true meaning of the season emphasizes. Our Savior chose to come to the Earth and die to bring us eternal life. Not to give us meaningless gifts

So, it would be wise to enjoy what I do have, and not dwell on what I once had. In the end, we'll all be together anyway in celebration of our Savior!

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful
Is my Savior's love for me!