Today’s Scripture Reading (May 10,
2013): Ecclesiastes 1
I recently
watched a video interview with Scott Hamilton, the former Olympic and World
Champion figure skater. And one of the things that he said that has stuck with
me was about the lasting nature of our accomplishments. He said that he asks
the up and coming figure skaters what is the pinnacle of the achievement that
they hoped to aspire to. And of course the response is that they want
everything that Scott Hamilton had already achieved. They want to be the best.
The follow-up question that Scott asks is always “what does that mean – does
that mean that you will own a piece of history?” And the response is always, “yes,
then history will remember me.” So it is at this point Scott launches his next
question – “who won the World Figure Skating Championship in 1962?” Because the
truth is that the person that was the World Figure Skating Champion in 1962
expected that they would be remembered by history too; but just over fifty
years later they have already been relegated to being a footnote in the history
books.
The Teacher
understood that. The theme of the whole book of Ecclesiastes is that everything
in life is meaningless. The Hebrew word used here is “hebel” and it means vapor or breath. The image is that everything
that we could possibly accomplish with our lives is like a person’s breath on a
cold day. They exhale and for a moment you can see it, but it quickly
disappears. Absolutely nothing is going to last.
And that thought
can be a bit of depressing. If everything is meaningless, then what is the use?
Give me the reason why I should I work hard at anything if it is not going to last.
And that is exactly what the teacher wants us to realize. Accomplishments will
fade and die. But maybe if we choose to build into other people, build into
their accomplishments; that might have the possibility of lasting – at least a
little longer.
There is a
great story about Mel Gibson when he was at his lowest moment. “The Passion of
the Christ” had been a huge success, but personally he was crashing and
burning. At the same time Robert Downy Jr.’s (Ironman) star was on the rise. But
Downy had also had his own struggles and demons that he had had to deal with.
And at an award ceremony Robert Downey Jr. took a moment to talk about the man
that had been there for him at his lowest moment, Mel Gibson. Mel Gibson at the
time had to rate as one of the least liked people in Hollywood. But in this
moment of celebration about Downy’s accomplishments he said this – “When I
couldn’t get sober, Mel told me not to give up hope and urged me to find my
faith. I couldn’t get hired so he cast me in the lead of a movie that was
actually developed for him. Most importantly he said that if I accepted
responsibility for my wrong doings and embraced that part of my soul that was
ugly – hugging the cactus he calls it – I would become a man of some humility
and that my life would take on a new meaning. I did it, and it worked. And all
he asked in return was that someday I would help the guy next in some small
way. It is reasonable to assume at the time that he didn’t imagine that the
next guy would be him or that someday would be tonight. On this special
occasion I humbly ask you to join me in forgiving my friend his trespasses and
offer him the same clean slate that you have given to me. He has hugged the
cactus long enough.”
Maybe not
everything is meaningless.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Ecclesiastes 2
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