Ecclesiastes 11:1-10: a reflection

1Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth. 3If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be. 4He who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t reap. 5As you don’t know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don’t know the work of God who does all. 6In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good. 7Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun. 8Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity. 9Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

The Preacher, who has spoken much of life's uncertainty, gives a surprising counsel: not to be paralyzed by that uncertainty, but to act, to sow, to give. Cast your bread on the waters, he says; in the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don't withhold your hand; for you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that. And he warns against waiting for perfect conditions: he who observes the wind won't sow, and he who regards the clouds won't reap. Since we cannot know the outcome, we are to act diligently anyway, sowing and giving, rather than being paralyzed by uncertainty.

Notice the counsel: act and sow diligently, despite not knowing the outcome. We do not know which of our efforts will prosper, this or that, or whether both; the outcome is uncertain, beyond our knowing. But rather than let that uncertainty paralyze us, waiting for a certainty we will never have, the Preacher says to sow in the morning and not withhold our hand in the evening, to act diligently despite the uncertainty. The one who waits for perfect conditions, watching the wind and clouds, never sows or reaps; but the one who acts, diligently and generously, though uncertain of the outcome, will find fruit after many days.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can be paralyzed by uncertainty, waiting for a certainty we will never have. We can hold back from acting, sowing, giving, because we do not know how it will turn out, waiting for perfect conditions or assured outcomes; but such waiting means we never sow or reap. The Preacher counsels us to act diligently despite the uncertainty, sowing in the morning and not withholding our hand in the evening. Do not be paralyzed by uncertainty about the outcome, waiting for conditions to be perfect before you act; sow diligently, give freely, act faithfully, though you cannot know which efforts will prosper. Trust the outcome to God, who alone knows it, and act diligently in the meantime, rather than being paralyzed; for the one who waits for perfect conditions never sows, but the one who sows diligently, uncertain of the outcome, finds fruit after many days, as the Preacher counsels.

Lord, the Preacher, who has spoken much of life's uncertainty, gives a surprising counsel: not to be paralyzed by that uncertainty, but to act, to sow, to give. Cast your bread on the waters, he says; in the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don't withhold your hand; for you don't know which will prosper. And he warns against waiting for perfect conditions: he who observes the wind won't sow, and he who regards the clouds won't reap. Since we cannot know the outcome, we are to act diligently anyway. Show me the counsel: act and sow diligently, despite not knowing the outcome. I do not know which of my efforts will prosper; the outcome is uncertain, beyond my knowing. But rather than let that uncertainty paralyze me, the Preacher says to act diligently. The one who waits for perfect conditions never sows or reaps; but the one who acts, though uncertain of the outcome, finds fruit after many days. Take that to my heart, for I can be paralyzed by uncertainty, waiting for a certainty I will never have. I can hold back from acting, sowing, giving, because I do not know how it will turn out; but such waiting means I never sow or reap. Keep me from being paralyzed by uncertainty about the outcome, waiting for conditions to be perfect before I act; help me sow diligently, give freely, act faithfully, though I cannot know which efforts will prosper. Help me trust the outcome to you, Lord, who alone knows it, and act diligently in the meantime.