No Rank Too High - Ecclesiastes Study

Ecclesiastes 1:12 - 14
"I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind."

A. "search out by wisdom"

1. Ecclesiastes 7:25 "I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness."
2. Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 "When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it."

B. "this burdensome task"

1. Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
2. Ecclesiastes 3:10 "I have seen the God given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied."

In order for anything to get done, someone has to do it. The laundry does not wash itself. The fields do not plow themselves. Unfortunately, in order to have clean dishes we have to clean them. Work does not get accomplished without men and women doing the tasks set before them. If we refuse to work, no work gets done.

There is no end to work. The laundry is never completely finished. There is always one more dish to wash. The fields will need to be plowed again and again.

Work does not have favorites. The laundry does not say, "Oh, you are special. I will put myself in the washer." Even the rich have laundry to be done. They may not do it themselves, but someone has to do their laundry. The farmer may have workers, but someone still has to plow the fields. No one is exempt from work. If there is work to be done, someone has to do it for it to get done. Although it is never done. Even a thief has to work to steal. The homeless have to work at shaking a can in order to get money for food. Work does not play favorites.

What is the point in saying all of this? May the work I do be all to the glory of God. I need to do laundry for the glory of God. Doing laundry not only serves me, but my family. If I show love to my family by taking care of them, I am working to the glory of God. This does not just apply to my immediate family, but to my godly brothers and sisters. What am I doing with my time? Is what I am doing right now for the glory of God? Do I look to others for satisfaction and approval, or do I look for God's approval? Where can I best serve? What does God want me to be doing right now? Regardless of our rank in life, we can all serve a Most Holy God in all that we do.