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Day 5 Ecclesiastes 5 Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream comes through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. 4 When thou vow a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou should not vow, than that thou should vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 8 If thou see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regards; and there be higher than they. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10 He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind? 17 All his days also he eats in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takes under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answers him in the joy of his heart. Were you, like me, told to think before you speak? I know as a kid and young adult my words ran ahead of thought and I got into trouble because of it. They sometimes do today as well, when I’m supposed to be a seasoned adult, mature in my words and actions. Solomon, in his wisdom, expressed more proverbs on words, and how they help or destroy the person using them. He said not to let words cause you to sin. Words spoken in haste, unkept vows, and words that showed vanity and selfishness, all are sin. You can never take back what you said. The damage was done, people hurt, and your careless words noted by friends and foes alike. Therefore, it is best to think before you speak, being careful with your words. Solomon further showed that work is something we all do, but for a poor man, the work brings more satisfaction and better sleep, than it does for a rich man. A rich man is never satisfied, but keeps going after more, but never has enough. Solomon concluded that everything you have is from God, your food and drink, and the work of your hands. Since God gave it, you need to be thankful for it and give God praise and thanksgiving for all you have. Let’s pray: Father, help me think before I speak. Help me be thankful for the work you’ve given me and give you praise with a thankful heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 5 August 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay