Thursday, May 5, 2016

What Happens to Knowledge?

Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn't worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. Ecclesiastes 2:21-23

We can’t live forever…and we can’t take anything with us when this life is over. We go away the same way we came into this world—naked and owning really nothing. Stuff—worldly possessions, property and assets—may be passed on to family or friends who haven’t worked for it…but just inherited it. It may seem meaningless to Solomon, but when there is substantial or sentimental value it means A LOT to those receiving it. I’ve known a couple of really brilliant people—deep thinkers who were at the cutting edge in their day for knowledge in their field—but when they died, it didn’t matter. Well—it did matter. That was the end of their knowledge. Except for the books and scientific papers that they had written, and the anecdotes that they passed onto their families, their knowledge is gone. That is a great tragedy. Are their lives now meaningless?  And another friend, Patricia Sherman, who died several years ago, was very creative and imaginative—a superb artist and puppeteer. Her creativity is lost. Oh, her art work and puppets still exist, but the spark of life that she gave them is all but forgotten. Is this now adding to Solomon’s list of meaninglessness? What will I leave behind? A legacy of blogs, a collection of stuff that I’m certain no one will really want. Shelves of books that you could purchase on Amazon for one cent apiece. Meaningless.  Am I chasing after the wind if I want to have a legacy to leave behind? All I really want is to be raptured—to meet Christ in the air. That is NOT meaningless. All the stuff of worldly possessions and worldly knowledge really don’t matter. Knowing God matters. Where do you stand when it comes to spiritual matters…spiritual knowledge?

Prayer ~ Lord God, open my eyes to the things that matter in this life—You, Your Knowledge, and Your Wisdom. Give me grace to see others the way You see them and to encourage them to seek You first in their lives. Help my life to be meaningful…not meaningless. I praise You Lord—for who You are. The Source of all Wisdom, Master, Creator, Savior, Comforter, Friend, Truth, Light, Life, Power, and Shepherd. Above all…My Lord and My God.

Happy Cinco de Mayo Day!
Enjoy some Mexican food or cultural activity today.

© 2016 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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