What dual character he had—what contrast of thrill and pang, of blood and brain, of desert and civilization, of physical and spiritual, of nature and–”
–Zane Grey (Wanderer of the Wasteland)
“And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”
“And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”
–Romans 5:4 (Living Bible)
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Turn your attention and Bibles to the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes. I want to point out a few things that I’ve noticed in the first ten verses. First, when someone brings your name up among a group of people what do they think of you? Jokester? Serious? Clown? Scholar? Athlete? Nerd? And we can add to the list. Who are you? Look at the verse phrase of verse one, “A good name is better than precious ointment.” What kind of influence do you have? It seems that so much attention is drawn in today’s society to the infamous (i.e., Billy the Kid, Doc Holiday, the rebels of any era). Why? Are they the kind of people that should be emulated?
Dale A. O’Shields says this about a good name, “A truly good name comes from qualities that go beneath surface interactions and impressions of life. It is the result of integrity, depth of character and sincerity.” Do people say, “there goes good ol’ _______, I remember them because of ________”? now you fill in the blanks with thoughts of your life. One of the greatest compliments given to me was from a former student. He was a sharp kid, a tough kid and a kind of rascal. He came back to school one day several years after graduating and asked some questions of how I was doing, how my classes were going. I smiled at him and replied, “What do you think?” He slapped me on the shoulders and said that was what he liked about me–keeping a standard and being stable. Your character then–does it count? What does it smell like?
Next I want you to contemplate deeply the next few verses:
“And the day of death [is better] than the day of one’s birth; better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
–Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 (NKJV)
When you go to a funeral it causes you to think. Most of us can remember the last funeral we went to and what took place. We can remember the person who died, but few recall the last party, and how much of an impression it made upon the soul. We quickly find that entertainment becomes shallow. What is its meaning? Why do we seek it so much? Perhaps it is because we do not want to take the time to think of the serious things of life. It is more fun to party-hardy than to think of where one’s eternal soul will end up.
Paul writes to the Philippians, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” (1:23-24, NKJV) Do you remember the last joke you heard? Can you recall if you laughed? Perhaps it would do us good to stroll through a graveyard one in a while, look at the stones and think of the people who shaped lives. Go to Arlington some day and just walk through the rows of crosses, and visit the Tomb of the Unknown. Are you laughing? See, death transforms values. It puts life into the proper perspective.
I remember a trying time in the life of my family. We were attending a church where all of a sudden the popular thing to do was to laugh. Laughter became the norm of any service instead of the Word of God. I asked the pastor, “Where was the godly sorrow? Where was the repentant heart? Where was the weeping over souls?” People were laughing at sin rather than falling on their knees repenting of sin.
There is nothing wrong in feasting, nothing wrong in going to a party, but we must guard against that becoming what we are known for–the party animal. Fun, fun, fun, but life is serious. There was a time when the disciples went to Jesus and asked why He didn’t instruct them to fast. He said that at the moment He was with them, but when He was gone they would need to fast. Work while it is light, for the night is coming when no man can work. Part of that work involves the development of a good character. “As our character is, so is our hope and prospect. We gain or lose both worlds.” (Charles Bridges)
—————————————
Turn your attention and Bibles to the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes. I want to point out a few things that I’ve noticed in the first ten verses. First, when someone brings your name up among a group of people what do they think of you? Jokester? Serious? Clown? Scholar? Athlete? Nerd? And we can add to the list. Who are you? Look at the verse phrase of verse one, “A good name is better than precious ointment.” What kind of influence do you have? It seems that so much attention is drawn in today’s society to the infamous (i.e., Billy the Kid, Doc Holiday, the rebels of any era). Why? Are they the kind of people that should be emulated?
Dale A. O’Shields says this about a good name, “A truly good name comes from qualities that go beneath surface interactions and impressions of life. It is the result of integrity, depth of character and sincerity.” Do people say, “there goes good ol’ _______, I remember them because of ________”? now you fill in the blanks with thoughts of your life. One of the greatest compliments given to me was from a former student. He was a sharp kid, a tough kid and a kind of rascal. He came back to school one day several years after graduating and asked some questions of how I was doing, how my classes were going. I smiled at him and replied, “What do you think?” He slapped me on the shoulders and said that was what he liked about me–keeping a standard and being stable. Your character then–does it count? What does it smell like?
Next I want you to contemplate deeply the next few verses:
“And the day of death [is better] than the day of one’s birth; better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
–Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 (NKJV)
When you go to a funeral it causes you to think. Most of us can remember the last funeral we went to and what took place. We can remember the person who died, but few recall the last party, and how much of an impression it made upon the soul. We quickly find that entertainment becomes shallow. What is its meaning? Why do we seek it so much? Perhaps it is because we do not want to take the time to think of the serious things of life. It is more fun to party-hardy than to think of where one’s eternal soul will end up.
Paul writes to the Philippians, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” (1:23-24, NKJV) Do you remember the last joke you heard? Can you recall if you laughed? Perhaps it would do us good to stroll through a graveyard one in a while, look at the stones and think of the people who shaped lives. Go to Arlington some day and just walk through the rows of crosses, and visit the Tomb of the Unknown. Are you laughing? See, death transforms values. It puts life into the proper perspective.
I remember a trying time in the life of my family. We were attending a church where all of a sudden the popular thing to do was to laugh. Laughter became the norm of any service instead of the Word of God. I asked the pastor, “Where was the godly sorrow? Where was the repentant heart? Where was the weeping over souls?” People were laughing at sin rather than falling on their knees repenting of sin.
There is nothing wrong in feasting, nothing wrong in going to a party, but we must guard against that becoming what we are known for–the party animal. Fun, fun, fun, but life is serious. There was a time when the disciples went to Jesus and asked why He didn’t instruct them to fast. He said that at the moment He was with them, but when He was gone they would need to fast. Work while it is light, for the night is coming when no man can work. Part of that work involves the development of a good character. “As our character is, so is our hope and prospect. We gain or lose both worlds.” (Charles Bridges)