“The wise have eyes in their head,
but fools walk in darkness.”
What is the principal difference between wise people and foolish people?
It is perception.
Of course, once something is perceived, it must be processed, but the processing functions are often crippled by lack of critical and attentive. perceiving.
“Eyes in our head” indicates that we are paying attention.
We are receiving information.
We are seeing. listening, and noticing.
We are asking questions and hearing answers.
We are looking around, looking up, and looking within. We are double-checking. We are open. We are reasonable. We are sensitive.
Fools walk in darkness, but God gives light.
Walk in the light as Christ is in the light.
Ecclesiastes 2:1–17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But again, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine — my mind still guiding me with wisdom — and how to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, many concubines.
So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure from all my toil, and this was my reward from all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly, for what can the king’s successor do? Only what has already been done. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.
The wise have eyes in their head,
but fools walk in darkness.
Yet I perceived that the same fate befalls all of them. Then I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?” And I said to myself that this also is vanity. For there is no enduring remembrance of the wise or of fools, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How can the wise die just like fools? So I hated life because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
| JESUS MAFA. The Rich Fool, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48266 [retrieved August 3, 2025]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact). |
Psalm 49:1-12
To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm
Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
both low and high,
rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.
Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life;
there is no price one can give to God for it.
For the ransom of life is costly
and can never suffice,
that one should live on forever
and never see the Pit.
When we look at the wise, they die;
fool and dolt perish together
and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they named lands their own.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
they are like the animals that perish.
![Title: Parable of the Rich Man
[Click for smaller image view]](https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/cdri/fulljpeg/Rembrandt_-_Der_reiche_Narr.jpg)
| Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1606-1669. Parable of the Rich Man, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55520 [retrieved August 3, 2025]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rembrandt_-_Der_reiche_Narr.jpg. |
Colossians 3:1-11
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!
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We get so impressed with ourselves, our titles, positions, and curricula vitae. We adorn ourselves with fading splendor and gaudy honor. We fancy our bodies indestructible and our minds bright and permanent. Yet ...
No matter how differentiated in minutia our DNA may be from that of the beasts, we fade, we falter, we fall, we die.
We go down to the pit of death with all of our confidence, boasting, and self-deception for we are dust and our pomp is but the costume jewelry of our silly make-believe games of childhood.
If it is all we have, we have nothing. Death is our shepherd.
But God has something else in mind for us, a rescue from Sheol, a ransom of our souls, a renewal of our lives, and an ignition of our significance and reason for being.
His intention is to receive us.
He is a receiving God.
Death and mortality equalize humanity like nothing else.
There is no wealth, no skin pigmentation, and no status in our dried bones and decaying flesh.
In the grave, no matter how ostentatious the stone is, above our heads, we are equal.
In the grave, no matter how ostentatious the stone is, above our heads, we are equal.
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DISCUSSION from my Notetaker
True Wealth and Financial Stability Tom emphasizes the importance of understanding true wealth, which is not just financial stability but also spiritual richness. He discusses the cultural obsession with money as a trading symbol and warns against letting it become a master. True wealth involves financial literacy, appropriate wealth management, and aligning with spiritual values, as material wealth is temporary and cannot be taken beyond death.
Biblical Perspectives on Wealth Tom references Psalm 49 and Ecclesiastes to highlight the transient nature of wealth and human life. He explains that despite human achievements and wealth, all are equal in death. The psalmist and preacher emphasize that earthly accomplishments are vanity, and true significance comes from spiritual wealth and alignment with God's will, which offers eternal life and purpose beyond material possessions.
Jesus' Teachings on Greed and Possessions Tom recounts Jesus' parable from Luke 12, where Jesus warns against greed and emphasizes that life does not consist of possessions. He tells the story of a rich man who hoards wealth but is called a fool by God for not being rich toward God. The lesson is to focus on spiritual richness rather than material accumulation, as true wealth is found in generosity and spiritual alignment.
Paul's Teachings on Spiritual Focus Tom discusses Paul's teachings from Colossians 3, urging believers to focus on spiritual matters rather than earthly concerns. Paul advises setting one's mind on eternal things and warns against greed, which he equates with idolatry. Tom emphasizes that true wealth is found in spiritual renewal and unity in Christ, transcending earthly divisions and material concerns.
Practical Application of Spiritual Wealth Tom encourages integrating spiritual focus into daily life, suggesting that work and material pursuits should support spiritual goals. He advises seeking God with an open heart and evaluating wealth in terms of spiritual richness. The ultimate goal is to achieve a life centered on God, where material wealth is a tool for spiritual purposes, leading to eternal life and peace.
Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
Martha, Martha, Mary Has Chosen What Is Best.
Background Readings
Amos 8:1-12 Psalm 52, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42
Dear Martha
“…Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:41b-42
There has been so much said about Martha, but Jesus was not criticizing her. Martha started the criticism with her complaint that Mary was not helping with the entertaining duties.
She was joining the men.
She was soaking up the presence and the words of Jesus. She was investing in things that were intangible.
Jesus did not invalidate Martha or her work. He observed that she was busy and frantic and occupied with many things.
These things could have occupied Mary as well. There is always something to occupy us, busy, us, and worry us in this life.
The Greek word, “chronos” is time you can measure with a clock or a calendar. “Kairos,” however, is time that can be measured only in encounter, impact, and significance. Mary was living the moment in kairos time. Martha was stuck in chronos time.
Luke says it was Martha’s house. Can we surmise that Mary was the younger sister?
When Jesus came, she positioned herself and Jesus’ feet in what seemed to Martha to be laziness and irresponsibility. But Jesus called it the choice of the better way.
She did the needful thing. She chose the better part. She invested in what she could never lose, a kairos moment with Jesus.
“Now it came to
pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman
named Martha received him into her house.”
Who cares if the bread burns? Who cares if the table settings are not perfect? Who cares about the niceties that have us in a frenzy? One thing is needful: the kairos moment of turning and encounter.
Choose, first, the good part today.
There will be
time for all else later.
“Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. “ — Luke 10:36–37
We all know the story. It was prompted by a question and occasioned by a teaching in response to a greater question. What we have here is the application: Go and do likewise.
One question led to another, then to a story, and then to the lesson Jesus desired to imprint upon every heart: that everyone is our neighbor and that loving our neighbor is about making a practical and active decision to do so and following through regardless of our feelings.
A legal expert who sought to trap Jesus in His own words asked Him what was necessary to inherit eternal life. He turned the question back to him and to his knowledge and interpretation of the law.
“Love God and love your neighbor” was both the answer he gave and the one that Jesus Himself gave on another occasion when asked what the greatest commandment was. Jesus commended him and told him to go and do likewise.
That wasn’t enough for the lawyer. He needed an escape clause, something that limited his liability and reduced his responsibility.
“Define neighbor,” was his retort. So, Jesus told him the story of the Good Samaritan and put him in a real bind. He made the hero of the story an outcast from the social and religious life of the Jews. He told the story in such a way as to make the answer to the question obvious.
“Who was the neighbor? Was he one of those who left the poor man stranded by the road or the Samaritan who gave of himself and his means to help him?”
The lawyer answered generically, and Jesus responded specifically, “Go and do likewise.”
Go; live like an outcast among outcasts if you must, but practice love as you go. Love is not revealed in the words we speak or the sentiments we feel, but in the actions, we take in being neighbors to our neighbors.
Go forth and live it.
We focused on the themes of mercy, justice, and love, particularly in the context of Christian teachings. The discussion centered around the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing the importance of showing mercy to those in need, regardless of their background or perceived worthiness. Sims highlighted that justice and mercy are intertwined, with true justice being defined by acts of mercy and compassion. He urged participants to embody the love of God through actions towards their neighbors, stressing that living mercifully is essential for experiencing eternal life and being part of God’s kingdom. The meeting concluded with a call to practice love and mercy actively in daily life, reflecting the core Christian values of empathy and grace.
Mercy and Justice in Christian Teachings The speaker emphasizes the intertwined nature of mercy and justice, arguing that true justice involves showing mercy to the oppressed and needy. He references biblical passages, such as Psalm 82 and the story of the Good Samaritan, to illustrate that justice is not about punishment but about doing right by those deprived of fairness. The speaker stresses that mercy is not deserved but needed, and it is a fundamental aspect of Christian life.
The Good Samaritan and Neighborly Love
The speaker discusses the parable of the Good Samaritan to highlight the importance of showing mercy and love to all, regardless of their background. He explains that the Samaritan, despite being an outcast, exemplified true neighborly love by helping a stranger in need. The speaker urges listeners to emulate this behavior, emphasizing that love for God is demonstrated through love for one’s neighbor.
Practical Application of Mercy
The speaker encourages practical application of mercy in daily life, suggesting that love and mercy should be active decisions. He criticizes the lack of mercy in the world, even among Christians, and calls for compassion and empathy towards those who are suffering. The speaker highlights that showing mercy brings joy and a sense of God’s love, and it is essential for experiencing eternal life and being part of God’s kingdom.
“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” - Acts4:32
One of the characteristics of the new believers in the Jerusalem church was their generous hearts. They did not consider their time, possessions, or personal gifts their own. Whatever they had, they submitted to God, and it became available for the Kingdom.
The church was not an economic utopia, but a body of Christians, freely associating and freely giving themselves to God through Jesus Christ.
Our lives are more complicated today.
We have financial advisors and career paths, personal assets, and discretionary time.
Our day planners are filled with events that we must juggle to “make time” for ourselves.
We have carefully detailed maps of our futures, and we wonder where the wonder went. There was a freshness and awe in the early church that came from the loose fist. Those believers did not hold things tightly in their hands and God was able to use their flexibility and generosity.
So, God can and will use us today if we will rediscover the wonder.
