Theme: SPIRITUAL KEYS TO HAPPINESS
Text: “Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.” – Ecclesiastes 11:2-4.
Comment: Many people in the world today will be happy if they can take care of their basic needs. This requires faith in God, diligence, planning and vigilance or alertness. Any work that is not done or idea that is not followed up will remain like that. When King Solomon says we should give a portion to seven and to eight, he means that we should be prepared to go even beyond the call of duty in carrying out a task. Also the verse teaches us to make the most of the time we have to live in this world “because the days are evil”. (Ephesians 5:16 Revised Standard Version). One should not rest on one’s oars because catastrophes could erupt at any time at the instance of the devil. God does His things at the time He has prescribed. We should also not delay in attending to things, big or small at the right time as there is time for everything. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) The man who looks for excuses in order not to work or pursue his plans to fruition will fail to maximize opportunities as they present themselves. See Proverbs 26:13-16.
Moreover, because of the inflationary trend in the world today, it is wise to pursue multiple streams of income so that one could be getting additional money besides one’s regular source of income. We pray God to help us to plan for our future both spiritually and otherwise. – Luke 16:8.