Men of Snow

Ecclesiastes is my favorite book of the Bible. I know a lot of people find it depressing but I think it is full of wisdom! The author of this book says that he searched the world for meaning--Wisdom, Pleasures, Folly, Toil, Advancement, Riches--and does not find it in any of them. It reminds me of The History of Rasselas, in which the Prince of Abyssinia  sets out on a journey to find the best way in which to live his life. He observes ideals similar to those of Qo'heleth (the author of Ecclesiastes), and concludes that it is best to reach no conclusion regarding life's questions, lest one stop questioning. Moreover, he chooses to live a life of learning and of faith.

Albeit less romanticized, how many of us have sought most of, if not all of these things to satisfy? At this point, you are either trying out the next thing as a means to fulfillment, or you have realized that at the end of the day, we are men of snow; we melt away. But what then? When I read Ecclesiastes, I find hope in realizing that nothing on earth will ever cut it. Because I know that you and I were never meant for here. Should we put stock in wisdom, find joy in pleasures, avoid recklessness, work hard, be the best we were created to be, and accept responsibility for the resources with which we have been blessed? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, His first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It's as simple and complex as that. When we love God and know His heart, we will discover compassion for others. When we know His mind, there we will gain wisdom and understanding. And not until we forfeit our lives do we truly find it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuNTdRMImdM