CARPE DIEM
Eccl 11
Qoheleth, the Preacher, had made a thorough investigation of life. He had looked at life as seen by those who live without hope in God. He had confronted the pessimism and futility of life. He had experienced the emptiness and meaninglessness of life. Ultimately, questions that demand an answer arose: How do we counter the overpowering pessimism of life? How do we fill up that which is empty? How do we discover meaning in that which is futile?
In Eccl 11 Qoheleth provides the answer. He tells us that we should celebrate life, that we should seize the day. Carpe diem!
Negatively, this means that we should recognise those things that ward off our enjoyment of life.
First, there is a great uncertainty about life. We “do not know what disasters may come upon us” (11:2b) or what action of ours will succeed (11:6b). Life brings its share of disasters and crises. There are unexpected twists and turns. We are faced with the absence of any absolute guarantee.
Second, there is a degree of inevitability about life. When clouds are full of moisture, precipitation occurs. When a tree is cut down, it will remain where it falls (11:3). Life’s inevitability may be due to genetic composition and this is what makes us tick. It may be due to cultural disposition and this is what conditions us. It may also be due to the tyranny of time and this is what limits us.
Third, life’s enjoyment is limited by the speculation that surrounds life. “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap” (11:4). We often speculate about the effects of the past and reminisce about the “golden yesteryear” and regret the “lost moments.” We speculate about the precariousness of the future and see the future as either a “glorious vision” or simply a “dim tomorrow.” We even speculate about the distress of the present and we view it as “potential opportunity” or “torturous today.”
Fourth, life is inhibited by ignorance. We “do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb” and we “cannot understand the work of God” (11:5). Our ignorance may be due to insufficient knowledge, what we do not know. It may be due to our ignorance about the mysteries of life, what we cannot comprehend. It is certainly our ignorance about God and his work, what we cannot explain.
Last, we are unable to enjoy life because of the realism of life. We all know that one day we will get old or that we may have to face God’s judgement (11:8-9). Since we cannot change the future, we often feel that our lives are inconsequential. In the words of an old song, “Que serah, serah; what ever will be will be.” Life often appears empty and we all dread the thought of having to give an account of our lives.
Positively, carpe diem means that we must learn to live above life’s limitations.
Qoheleth urges us to live enterprisingly rather than timidly. He says, “Cast your bread on the waters, for after many days you will find it again” (11:1). He is saying that we should always attempt great things even when that may seem out of place. Vincent van Gogh once said: “Man is not on this earth merely to be happy, nor even to be simply honest. He is there to realise great things for humanity, to attain nobility and to surmount the vulgarity in which the existence of individuals drags on.” We should also attempt unexpected things and view life as an adventure. We should not be content with stereotypes and status quo but rather we should grasp every possible opportunity to grow. We should not be content with mediocrity but rather strive to excel. As an old Burmese proverb states: “He who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; he who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it.” We should carry an optimistic mind-set because we can look out of our windows and see either the stars or the mud.
Qoheleth encourages us to live generously rather than miserly. We should live to give, not to hoard. In Living on the Ragged Edge, 317, Charles Swindoll writes: “Don’t put your bread in deep freeze, it’ll dry out. Don’t store it up in the pantry or seal it in the baggie, it’ll mould. Don’t hoard it, thinking that it needs protecting, release it.” As my Dad used to say, we should live with an open hand rather than a clenched fist. We should live to bless rather than to want blessing for “we make a living by what we get out of life, but we make a life by what we give.”
Qoheleth tells us that we should live diligently rather than slovenly. He says, “sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle” (11:6a). We should perform every task as though it is the most important task we will ever do. We ought to grasp every opportunity as though it is the only one we will ever have. We should use every moment as though it is the only one we will ever see. We should treasure every friendship as though it is the only relationship we will ever know. As someone once said: “The heights of great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight; for they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
Qoheleth wants us to live joyfully rather than ruefully. He says that we should enjoy all the years of our lives (11:8), that young people ought to take pleasure in their youthfulness (11:9a), and that we should banish all anxiety and troubles (11:10). We should enjoy life to the hilt. We should take pleasure in every moment we’ve got. We should live with a carefree attitude. We should not only pursue happiness, we should also create happiness. In the words of J M Barrie, “Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”
Qoheleth reminds us that we should live godly lives rather than pretentious ones (11:5b, 9c). We should remember that God cares, that he is always at work in our lives. We should take care how we live because God watches over us. We should recognise that we are ultimately accountable to God for our lives. We should live assured that God has our best interest at heart.
In a far country lived a band of minstrels who travelled from town to town, presenting music to make a living. They were not doing well and times were hard. There was little money for common folk to come and listen and attendances were falling. The band met one evening to discuss their plight.
“I see no point for opening tonight,” one said. “To make things worse, it is starting to snow. Who will venture out tonight?”
“I agree,” another disheartened singer said. “Last night we performed for just a handful. Fewer will come tonight. Why not give back their meagre fees and cancel the concert? No one can expect us to go on when just a few are in the audience.”
“How can anyone do his best for so few?” inquired a third. Turning to another sitting beside him, he asked, “What do you think?”
The man, older than the rest, looked at his troupe: “I know you are discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come. We will go on. And we will do the best job we can. It is not the fault of those who come that others do not. They should not be punished with less than the best that we can give.”
Heartened by his words, the minstrels went ahead with their show. They gave their best performance ever. When the small audience had left, the old minstrel called his troupe together. In his hand was a note, handed to him by one of the audience.
“Listen to this my friends!” There was something electrifying in his tone of voice, which made them turn to him in anticipation. Slowly the old man read: “Thank you for a beautiful performance.” It was simply signed, “Your King.”
Qoheleth says that we should celebrate life. We do so by recognising those things that inhibit the enjoyment of life and by learning to live above life’s inhibitions. Carpe diem!
