Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 1-6
I’ve been struggling with cynicism lately. This is a besetting sin of mine. It tends to creep up when my reserves are low which they normally are this time of year as I head into vacation. My rhythms have been fairly consistent and set for a long time. I take a Sabbath every week, usually on Mondays. I spend time with the Lord. I go to the gym. I date my wife. When my kids were younger, I spent time with them. I am afforded four weeks of vacation every year. I take most of that time in early July every summer, usually 2.5 weeks. I also take the week after Christmas off. I get to go to Africa for two weeks every fall and spring. This is a vital time for me to study, reflect, and pray on all God is doing in my life, the church I serve, and my community. Outside of those periods of rest and renewal, I run hard. I pastor a large church. I teach a classes at a local seminary. I chair the board of an incredible mission organization. I serve on denominational committees. I am blessed to lead a rich and full and blessed life. However, I am human which means my reserves do get depleted throughout the year and as I head into my vacation, I find myself running on fumes yet again. This is when I become more vulnerable to sins like cynicism.
Perhaps that’s why I resonated so strongly with Solomon’s words this morning. He too was a man who ran hard. He had a high capacity. He was blessed to lead during a period of growth and prosperity in Israel. But I wonder if the cynicism he expresses in Ecclesiastes comes from a depleted soul? Is he just being brutally realistic or are his reflections a sign of a depleted soul? Listen to them again. “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises. Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-9 CSB) Futility. Meaninglessness. Vanity. Weariness. Nothing new under the sun. It’s a bleak outlook to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually disagree with Solomon. I think he’s right. Everything we do and accomplish this side of heaven has an expiration date. And that should give us pause. But I don’t think I would go as far as to say it is all futility. That’s Solomon’s cynical side coming out.
It’s tempting to look at all that’s happening in the world around us today and throw in the towel. After all, what kind of influence can I have on the conflicts raging in Gaza, Ukraine, and other places around the world? What kind of difference can I make on global poverty or systemic injustice? How can I help alleviate the pain and suffering I see all around me? It’s easy to become cynical when scrolling through social media or watching the news. But we must resist this temptation. We must fix our eyes on Jesus who, when you stop to think about it, was the only person who had the right to be cynical. I think it is part of his particular genius that you never see cynicism creep up in his life. You never see it impact his relationships with those He loved and served. You never see it break loose, even when He hangs on the cross. Jesus rejected th way of cynicism. Jesus never fell into the trap of believing everything was futility. He kept the faith and the result was our salvation. May we, who would seek to follow Him, do the same.
Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 7-12