The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes: The Value of Diligence

Send out your bread upon the waters,
    for after many days you will get it back.
Divide your means seven ways, or even eight,
    for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth.
When clouds are full,
    they empty rain on the earth;
whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
Whoever observes the wind will not sow;
    and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.
Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. ~ Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet—no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.” ~ Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Looking up quotes about diligence or idleness and you find a lot about hard work or the lack thereof.

 But when I read this passage, what I sense more is the idea that without diligence, you just might be missing out on something extraordinary.

 That taking a chance and working hard on something when you have no idea how it will turn out, can be a big and wonderful surprise.

 That the work itself might be the gratifying thing.

 That worrying about wasted effort is itself the wasted effort.

 I love this quote from Tom Sawyer: diligence and attention leading to harmony, gratitude, and the feeling of discovering something wonderful.

 What might we miss when we don't stick to something, even something that seems like it won't have the outcome we want?

 Maybe we are missing an outcome - a Godly outcome - on an even grander scale!
Prayer: Holy One, grant me perseverance and stick-to-it-ive-ness so that I can see your blessings unfold before me. Amen

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