Covid-19 When Life is Risky “Do Good” Point 1

Covid-19

When Life is Risky “Do Good” Point 1

Casting your bread, your good, upon the sea of people can sound like a waste

But Solomon realized that doing good is never wasteful

Doing good should be done not only where we can see the greatest return

But also where we least expect a return 

Don’t let the pandemic forecast keep you from doing good

Don’t let the risk of waste keep you from doing good

Do good without expectation of a return       

 Why?

Ecclesiastes 11:5

As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things.

When Life is Risky “Do Good”

We have learned that living is full of risk.

Going to work or shopping could

expose you to a deadly virus.

The risk is unseen, but it is there.

The risk has caused the world to stay at home.

Wise Solomon understood life is full of risk.

He understood disaster

may come upon the land.

The fear of risk can keep

us from being productive.

Whoever watches the wind will not plant;

whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

 Ecclesiastes 11:4

I can’t tell you how many times I watched

the weatherman to find out if it would rain

and canceled my plans due to the forecast.

I cannot tell you how many productive

days were wasted due to the forecast.

 Solomon tells us how to

deal with the forecasted risk.

Point number 1…

In Ecclesiastes 11:1, Solomon says…

 

Cast your bread upon the waters,

for after many days you will find it again.

Cast bread upon the water seems to be ridiculous;

you cannot expect anything in return.

But Solomon sees potential in the ridiculous.

Bread is good, it is a main staple of life.

The image Solomon is giving us

is this image of always doing good.

Cast your good upon the waters

because you never know

where the water will take it.

Doing good is never wasteful.

Doing good will bring return.

Matthew 5:44-46 and Luke 6:32-35

gives us the New Testament version

of casting your bread upon the water.

The world is a sea of people.

The sea can be beautiful or it

can be angry and dangerous.

A little wind and the waves

become dangerous on the surface.

Underneath there are beautiful reefs

where sharks and other predators hunt.

Casting your bread, your good, upon

the sea of people can sound like a waste.

But Solomon realized that

doing good is never wasteful.

Doing good should be done not only

where we can see the greatest return…

But also where we least expect a return.

  

Don’t let the pandemic forecast

keep you from doing good.

Don’t let the risk of waste

keep you from doing good.

Do good without expectation of a return.

        

 Why?

Ecclesiastes 11:5…

As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things.

See tomorrow’s Devotional

for Point Number 2.

Scripture Reading

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 NIV

Cast your bread upon the waters,

for after many days you will find it again.

2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight,

for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

3 If clouds are full of water,

they pour rain upon the earth.

Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,

in the place where it falls, there will it lie.

4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;

whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things.

6 Sow your seed in the morning,

and at evening let not your hands be idle,

for you do not know which will succeed,

whether this or that,

or whether both will do equally well.

Matthew 5:44-47 NIV

44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

Luke 6:32-36 NIV

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.   34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.