TIME

SEPTEMBER?  It cannot be September!  Yesterday it was May 31st.  I will admit May was a long month.  I don’t know why.  It seemed to drag on and on, but June, July, and August have flown by.  And … September means it will be cooler and colorful and the air will be crisp. 

Yes, it is September!  I like the idea of cooler and who doesn’t like fall/autumn?  I cannot imagine living where the weather is always the same or where the leaves do not change color.  I enjoy watching the landscape change as crops are harvested.  I love the first snow and the grass turning green in the spring.  Each season is unique.  Each holds a certain expectation. 

I turned to the dictionary:

• Winter – the colder half of the year, a period of inactivity or decay
• Spring – a time or season of growth or development
• Summer – the warmer half of the year, a period of maturing powers
• Fall/Autumn – the season leaves fall from trees -- a period of maturity or incipient decline

I turned to the Bible and the obvious scripture:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  Ecclesiastes 3:1

Where am I going with this?  As often happens, I am not sure.  When I looked at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, I tried to think about the rest of the book.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Like everyone, I know “A time for everything,” but this is not a book I read over and over.  Why would I want to read:  “Meaningless!  Meaningless!” says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”  (KJV uses “vanity” which can be described as empty or valueless)

I know this is written as a “how to make your way through life” and “wisdom for the big picture.”  The introduction says this is to warn us that life’s rewards are uncertain and ultimately unsatisfying.  But to say everything is meaningless / valueless…..

I want to shout, “NO IT IS NOT!  LIFE IS NOT MEANINGLESS!”

The author is not absolutely known, but tradition identifies him as Solomon.  Solomon was in a time of reflection and a time when he had stepped back from his faith.  The educated, those with degrees, and those who have studied all the commentaries on Ecclesiastes, will quickly tell me that I am over-simplifying Solomon’s state of mind and not getting the point.  That is probably true.  BUT …

The point I find is that, in the end, all that matters is how I use my time. 

Did I plant the seeds of faith in others and help them uproot evil?

Did I build others up and tear down walls?

Did I keep those things that gave value to my soul and throw away distractions?

Did I know when to speak up and when to be silent?

Did I love others and hate sin?

Did I know when to fight a battle and when to celebrate peace?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

When I look back, will I see my life as meaningless or will I look back and find I used my time wisely?