LIVING UNDER THE THUMB (10 OF 15)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
This content is part of a series.
Living under the Thumb (10 of 15)
Series: ''The Good Life''
Keith Krell
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
One day, a bus driver was driving along his usual route. He didn't encounter any problems for the first few stops; a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At one stop, however, a big hulk of a man got on. He was 6' 8'', built like a bodybuilder, and his arms hung down to the ground. He glared at the driver and told him, ''Big John doesn't pay!'' Then he sat down at the back of the bus. The driver was 5'3'', thin, and very meek, so he didn't argue with Big John. But he wasn't happy about it! The next day, the same thing happened. Big John got on again, made a big show of refusing to pay, and sat down. It happened the next day, and again the day after that. The bus driver began to lose sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally, he could stand it no longer. He signed up for bodybuilding courses, karate, and a self-esteem class. By the end of the summer, the bus driver had become quite strong and felt really good about himself. The next Monday, Big John entered the bus and again declared, ''Big John doesn't pay!'' Enraged, the driver stood up, glared back at Big John, and bellowed, ''And why not?!'' With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, ''Big John has a bus pass.''
This poor bus driver learned a valuable lesson: Things aren't always as they appear. In Ecclesiastes 8 we are exhorted to trust that God is in control of those things we don't understand. In the first half of this chapter Solomon esteems the value of wisdom (8:1-9), while in the latter half he explains that this wisdom doesn't allow him to figure out God's plan (8:10-17). Hence, Solomon reminds us to: Use wisdom, but know its limitations. He gives two simple tips to accomplish this goal.
1. Respect human authority (8:1-9). Ironically, Solomon writes these words as the King of Israel. He is a king writing about how to get along with the k ...
Series: ''The Good Life''
Keith Krell
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
One day, a bus driver was driving along his usual route. He didn't encounter any problems for the first few stops; a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At one stop, however, a big hulk of a man got on. He was 6' 8'', built like a bodybuilder, and his arms hung down to the ground. He glared at the driver and told him, ''Big John doesn't pay!'' Then he sat down at the back of the bus. The driver was 5'3'', thin, and very meek, so he didn't argue with Big John. But he wasn't happy about it! The next day, the same thing happened. Big John got on again, made a big show of refusing to pay, and sat down. It happened the next day, and again the day after that. The bus driver began to lose sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally, he could stand it no longer. He signed up for bodybuilding courses, karate, and a self-esteem class. By the end of the summer, the bus driver had become quite strong and felt really good about himself. The next Monday, Big John entered the bus and again declared, ''Big John doesn't pay!'' Enraged, the driver stood up, glared back at Big John, and bellowed, ''And why not?!'' With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, ''Big John has a bus pass.''
This poor bus driver learned a valuable lesson: Things aren't always as they appear. In Ecclesiastes 8 we are exhorted to trust that God is in control of those things we don't understand. In the first half of this chapter Solomon esteems the value of wisdom (8:1-9), while in the latter half he explains that this wisdom doesn't allow him to figure out God's plan (8:10-17). Hence, Solomon reminds us to: Use wisdom, but know its limitations. He gives two simple tips to accomplish this goal.
1. Respect human authority (8:1-9). Ironically, Solomon writes these words as the King of Israel. He is a king writing about how to get along with the k ...
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