Perception and perspective
Our perception and perspective are important. When a time of darkness seems to descend upon us, how do we perceive it?
The idea of seeing light at the end of a tunnel is encouraging. If we can see something positive ahead amid a challenging situation, we have a glimmer of hope. Light brings a needed perspective to darkness.
But if we have a cynical and negative perception of our immediate circumstances, we might say the light at the end of the tunnel is a train heading our way and there is no escaping it.
Again, it is a matter of perspective. How we view things beyond our control can either crush us or bolster our confidence in what the future holds.
The problem of short-sightedness
When we are short-sighted and only see the darkness of our immediate situation as our destiny, all may seem lost. This is the perception King Solomon had about his own life’s work.
But if we see other possibilities and opportunities beyond our immediate circumstances, it changes everything. This is why faith is so important (Hebrews 11:6 GW).
Over the years, my wife and I partnered in many different ministries. We invested much time and energy in these endeavors. We worked hard to establish these ministries, especially at the beginning.
As the Lord led us on to new ways to serve Him, we had to be willing to let go of what was established to embrace what was yet to be.
This often involved some personal loss and sadness. Most of these changes were beyond our control. Some because of the choices we made.
Faith enabled us to endure
We gave our firstborn son the option to finish his final year in high school while we moved 8,000 miles overseas. This was a good decision but that first year of separation as a family was hard on all of us.
In our fifteen years overseas, we cared for many babies, children, and abused girls. They all had heartbreaking stories, and we endured several tragedies, including a devastating fire that took the lives of five children.
Although there were many challenging times, we saw God bring great restoration in so many lives. The light of many lives restored helped us maintain a sense of perspective.
The despair of what some saw as a dark destiny beyond our control did not deter us. We saw beyond disappointments and doubts by faith. We saw beyond whatever appeared impossible in the light of hope and trust in the Lord. Our faith and trust in God made it possible to endure these challenges and changes.
Insights
Then I turned my attention to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done.”
But I saw that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as light has an advantage over darkness. (Ecclesiastes 2:12–13 GW)
As King Solomon continued to explore life to a point of excess, “to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness,” he came to two conclusions.
First, wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.
Solomon explained the advantage of one over the other. A wise person observes what he sees and walks in the light of his understanding. But a fool is oblivious to what he sees and lacks understanding and walks in his own darkness.
Solomon’s second realization is about his legacy.
Solomon was concerned about who would succeed him as king and inherit all he worked hard to accomplish and gain. History reveals there was a good reason for his concern.
After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king of Israel, but he did not have his father’s wisdom. Because of Rehoboam’s heavy-handed tactics, the kingdom of Israel divided and never returned to the glory it knew under David and Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:31; 11:2–4 GW).
Solomon realized his legacy, what he had accomplished in life, would end when he died. So, it seemed to him there was no difference between his death and the death of a fool who lived in the darkness of his own ignorance.
This concern is a continuing theme in Ecclesiastes, but it is not the last word on the subject, nor the conclusion Solomon makes at the end.
Existential reflections
The desire to leave a legacy lasting beyond our death is something we all grapple with in some way or another. Too often, we equate a person’s legacy with their estate and accomplishments in life. This is the short-sighted view of Solomon in the second chapter of Ecclesiastes.
If all we leave behind is some wealth, property, or accomplishments, no matter how significant they are in the sight of others, it is easy to feel disillusioned about the end of life. But we don’t need to be so short-sighted. We do not have to be limited by a sense of destiny.
There are countless examples of squandered family legacies scattered throughout history. Family businesses passed on to children often fail. Heirs waste fortunes with extravagant and foolish lifestyles. Even important accomplishments or discoveries may only last for decades or just a few years.
Considering our own legacies
Consider who and what is most important to you. Who is directly connected or involved with your life? What has eternal and lasting value to you?
We can discover what King Solomon says about this later, but this is a much more personal and subjective concern for each of us. Certainly, more than any general answer can satisfy.
I can only share my thoughts about this. I cannot answer these questions for you, nor can anyone else. My family is my most valuable living legacy on earth. People I have had the privilege to lead, disciple, and serve alongside are the next most important and valuable legacy for me.
For me, whatever accomplishments might seem important only have true value as an investment in the lives of others related to God’s Kingdom. That kind of legacy continues beyond my brief life and is only valuable when it leads to people trusting in God.
The investment of our lives in the Kingdom of God and in the lives of others connected to them trusting in the Lord is the only legacy of eternal value. This type of legacy lives beyond the moment of our life within eternity and extends beyond whatever we may think is our destiny.
What value will your life have beyond the grave? What do you think your legacy will be beyond death? When our perception and perspective are grounded in the Lord, we can see beyond difficulties and obstacles by faith. We can also be confident in the value of our life’s legacy.
