Enjoy Life Righteously & Virtuously
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.’ (Ecclesiastes 8:15); ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.‘ (1 Corinthians 10:31)
For many of us, we have hobbies or pursuits outside of what we consider Christian pursuits. I, as an example, am an avid firearms enthusiast who likes the shooting sports, reading and watching gun-related programs and taking trips to the gun range (though I have not made it to the range since I retired several months ago, much to my dismay – perhaps I’m not as enthusiastic as I used to be).
Some of us also go out to eat, get together with friends to play games or just talk amongst ourselves. My beautiful wife and I have a date night on Saturday, for example, where we go to a neighborhood restaurant and get a bite to eat before we go across the street to get groceries before heading back home to watch TV. Some of you may be a bit more younger and spry and go dancing or see a movie, or perhaps go to where there are live events, like bands playing live music or going to a comedy club to hear poorly delivered jokes mixed in with the occasional zinger.
Unfortunately, there are those who use their time to pursue vices. It is typically those who are not of Christ, but there are some who claim to be Christian who are excessive in these pursuits. ‘Eat, drink, and be merry!’ is their slogan, and it is nothing new. Some even point to Ecclesiastes 8:15 as giving them license to engage in these types of debaucheries. Some excuse these excesses as needing to release pressure, or to get it out of the system, but does God really want us or allow us to do these things, with Ecclesiastes 8:15 a ‘hall pass’ to engage in these activities?
There are also those who then focus on these pursuits to the point of shirking their responsibilities; to God, their families and their careers. The vices pursued become the focus, and again the excuse is ‘but God wants me to be happy, amiright?’
Some misunderstand this verse from Solomon as something stating that God wants us to be ‘party animals’. This is not the case, as God does not want us to be gluttonous or drunk, or always in a state of shirking responsibilities. This 2nd part of this verse (the ‘then’ statement) provides enjoyment or relaxation comes after we work and take care of our responsibilities. Solomon thought this sentiment was important enough to write it down in other verses of Ecclesiastes to weave it through the book, and in Ecclesiastes 2:25 makes it clear that to have this joy we need God (‘for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?’).
This is further bolstered in 1 Corinthians 10:31; we must always engage in our pursuits with the mindset that we are to glorify God in all that we do, regardless of what it is. God clarifies that drunkenness or gluttony is not glorifying to him, and are part of what Pope Gregory I, around 600AD, compiled in his Biblical studies as the ‘seven deadly sins’ (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride) we should not engage in. In the Bible, Galatians 5:19-21 lists drunkenness and debauchery among actions considered ‘sins of the flesh’, and not of God or His doing.
Though not cleanly laid out in the Bible, in his studies of the ‘seven deadly sins’, Pope Gregory I also compiled a list of the ‘seven virtues’ (Faith, Patience, Charity, Humility, Prudence, Temperance, Diligence), each of which are used to negate the ‘seven deadly sins’. These are given by God to us throughout the Bible, especially in the Beatitudes (or Blessings) Jesus provides in the opening verses of the Sermon of The Mount (Matthew 5:3-12), though the virtues are not listed as such. The Beatitudes provides Jesus’ pleasure in those who pursue Righteousness, living and acting virtuously while avoiding the excesses acts of sin that others engage in.
God wants us to take care of our business, both personal and professional; pay what we owe, honor our commitments, and provide for ourselves and our families. He also knows that we need to relax and enjoy the ‘fruits of our labor’ so we do not become bitter and resentful to either our bosses or to Him. As with all things, there must be balance and moderation. Too much work takes away from our families, too much play or relaxation takes away from us producing for our families and those needs for them to thrive and survive.
Take the time to ‘smell the roses’, and enjoy the life that the Lord has provided. Do not feel guilty over having some quiet time or ‘me’ time, but remember to keep it in moderation. Keep striving to maintain that with what the Lord has provided to you, plan and work on preparing for storms, and study/fellowship/pray as much as possible, but make sure you take time to relax and be glad in what God has provided and will provide.
