QT 23/01/2025 Thu. Ecclesiastes 7. Take profit when both the good and bad happens. 无论顺境还是逆境,都能获利。

QT 23/01/2025 Thu. Ecclesiastes 7. Take profit when both the good and bad happens. 无论顺境还是逆境,都能获利。

QT 23/01/2025 Thu. Ecclesiastes 7. Take profit when both the good and bad happens.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/eccl7

The various sayings are contrasted from 7:1–12 as the text continues to portray the complexities of living in this world. The reader can agree with many of the snippets (e.g. "A good name is better than precious ointment", 7:1) but also find tension in others (e.g. "Sorrow is better than laughter", 7:3). Nevertheless, a few reflections can benefit the readers:

(1) Qoheleth's laments remind readers to live in the light of one's mortality (7:2). Many of our possessions outlasts their owners. How should you then live?

Ecclesiastes 7:3–4
[3] Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
[4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (ESV)

(2) Pleasure and enjoyment are both good, but meaning cannot be found in them alone. On the contrary, benefits that are good for a person are frequently found in sorrow, mourning and discomfort. Therefore, we are reminded not to reject discomfort all the time, as many do so by the use of the phrase "I am not comfortable with this" or with that.

We frequently use "comfortable" or otherwise as the sole criteria of accepting or rejecting a proposal or deciding whether to move forward in one way or another. 良药苦口 as they say, good medicine is frequently bitter.

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A frivolous attitude of completely rejecting any discomfort might prevent us from learning valuable lessons that are seldom found in laughter, gladness, celebration and comfort.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. (ESV)

Since life in the world would always have good and bad times, we do well to be reminded that God is sovereign and nothing escapes His eyes. Qoheleth's struggles prompt readers to use all opportunities that come our way at the PRESENT, rather than getting bogged down with waiting for a better opportunity or suitable timing in the FUTURE, that may or may not arise, a FUTURE that neither Qoheleth or any one of us can be certain of.


QT 23/01/2025 星期四. 传道书 7. 无论顺境还是逆境,都能获利。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/ecc/7

《传道书》7:1–12 节中的各种说法形成对比,继续描绘了生活在这个世界上的复杂性。读者可以赞同其中的许多片段(如 “美名优于美好的膏油”,7:1),但也会在其他片段中发现阻力(如 “忧愁胜于嬉笑”,7:3)。然而,一些思考可以使读者受益匪浅:

(1) 教师(科希勒)提醒读者要活在死亡的阴影中(7:2)。我们的许多财产都比它们的主人长寿。那么你应该如何生活呢?

传道书 7:3-4
[3] 忧愁胜于嬉笑,
 因为面带愁容,能使内心得着好处。
[4] 智慧人的心在服丧之家,
 愚昧人的心在欢乐之家。

(2)快乐和享受都是好的,但意义不能只在其中找到。相反,对人有益处的好处往往是在悲伤、哀悼和不适中发现的。因此,我们要提醒自己,不要总是拒绝不舒服,很多人就是这样做的,使用 “我对这个不舒服 ”或 “我对那个感觉不舒服 ”这样的短语。

我们经常把 “舒服 ”与否作为接受或拒绝一项建议或决定是否以某种方式前进的唯一标准。常言道,良药苦口。

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完全拒绝任何不适的轻浮态度可能会阻碍我们学习宝贵的课程,而这些课程很少是在欢笑、喜悦、庆祝和安慰中找到的。
传道书 7:14 在亨通的日子,应当享福;遭遇患难的时候,就当省察。 神使这两样并存,为了叫人查不出未来的事。

人活在世上,总会有顺境和逆境,所以我们应该记住,上帝是至高无上的,没有什么能逃过祂的视眼。教师(科希勒)的挣扎促使读者利用当下所有的机会,而不是沉迷于等待未来更好的机会或合适的时机,因为未来可能会出现,也可能不会出现—教师(科希勒)和我们任何人都无法确定未来。