Outsourcing

For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? Ecclesiastes 6:12

Good – Ecclesiastes is the greatest evangelical tract every written.  By the time you finished reading it, there are really only two options in life:  follow God or commit suicide.  If Ecclesiastes doesn’t convince you of the futility of life without God, nothing will.  So, when the author asks the question “Who knows what is good?”, there is a presumed answer.  Who knows what is good for a man?  No one!  Not a single person on earth has the answer to this question.  Why?  Because every man is trapped in the limits of finite understanding.  If you really want the answers to life’s problems, you will have to outsource the expertise.  You aren’t going to find it on your own, no matter who you are.

This biblical point of view is particularly important in the political frenzy of the times.  The Greek worldview suggests that the answers to life’s big questions lie in the hands of great leaders.  If we just follow men and women of intelligence, charisma, daring and resolve, we can be assured that things will be better.  This terrible mistake is based on the Greek idea that Man can reason his way out of the box.  Convinced that mental capacity and charismatic attraction provide hope, we flock to celebrity leaders.  Don’t be fooled.  None of these men or women can save you; not here and now and certainly not in the future.  They are just as lost, just as deceived and just as foolhardy as the rest of those who believe reasonable men can come up with reasonable answers.  Elect them if you must, but don’t expect things to get better.  This train only goes in one direction – toward destruction and judgment.

Before you find yourself flushed away in political rhetoric, read Ecclesiastes.  There is only one source for the answer to what is good.  That source is God.   By the way, He does not provide answers to those who are not obedient to His will.  Leadership can call on the name of the Lord every day of the week, but until our leaders actually do what He says, He is under no obligation whatsoever to provide clarity, protection or progress.  In fact, when leaders use His name but live in disobedience, only one thing can follow.  God becomes their enemy.  Heaven help those who follow such men (but, of course, heaven won’t help, will it?).

The Hebrew word tov (good) covers a wide range of meanings.  It’s everything we want: proper, morally correct, convenient, well-pleasing, fruitful, appealing, useful, plentiful, profitable.  Who wouldn’t want tov to be prominent in life?  But it simply will not happen without cleaning house.  God is good.  Read that again and put the emphasis where it belongs, on the verb.  God is good.  There isn’t anything else that is good as an alternative to God’s goodness.  He is it!  If you want goodness in your life, you need to get in line with Him.  The alternative isn’t pretty.

If you think that political choice will improve life, you’re Greek.  There is only one socio-political recipe for improvement.  It’s called repentance.  Micah made it very clear (see Micah 6:8).  Don’t be fooled.  Start in your own house.  Outsource the answer.  What is good?  God knows.  Ask Him, but be prepared to accept the responsibility that comes with the reply.

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