“And Then We See…” (Ecclesiastes) [Ecclesiastes series – start]
If I’d not seen him just behind
The age and stage I’m in,
I’d not have noticed it’s a stage
Of life where I have been.It’s where we draw from kids we’ve had,
Their wisdom – “He’s so smart!”
But then we see it’s just like us –
For them it comes apart.“Futility”, King Solomon
Has dubbed life in his text;
I hunch he wrote that at this age
And stage – while feeling vexed.Well Lord, what should this good man do?
What is the object now?
“Check Solomon for stage you’re in,
Are entering somehow.“For, Stu, there’s part of Bible text
You cannot comprehend,
Until new situations rise,
And former stages end.“It’s not that Bible text gets stale,
It never is that way;
It’s just resource for stages past
Have nothing more to say.“So enter in the Scripture text,
For guidance now you’ll need;
It’s not just “Language freshness” here,
But food for now you’ll need.”But Lord, “Old age” is not a stage
I ever wish to do;
“Relax there, chum, you have not seen
My work cut out for you.“You’re up on ‘sixth floor’(Jacques would say),
You’ve never had this view;
Besides, old age perspective brings,
And patterns which are new.“You’ll see those former ways and means
Which once were all the rage,
Are silly, and myopic views –
For work-life does not change.“So, settle back, the shift is huge;
Check out celestial views;
You’ve got so much to learn here now –
Can do so if you choose.“For every age and stage of life
Is full of brand-new things;
Cut back from seven hundred years
Is why you’re all deranged.“So history has a place in fact –
‘Collective memory’;
That intro to it at the first
Can help you now to see –“What others miss – “Humanities”
Indeed is what folks miss,
Pursuing business, social facts,
Through it, comes heaven’s kiss.“Religion, history, English lit,
And languages galore;
Philosophy within whose fold
Fits economic lore.“For that’s what economics is –
‘What’s business all about?’
Not ‘How?’ so much as ‘Is this right?’
The world of shadowed doubt.“There are no answers in that field,
That’s what it’s all about;
That’s where one questions ‘Wisdom ‘, ‘Lore’,
And seeks a different route.“Time was when all this fell into,
Broad strokes, ‘Theology’ ;
But that’s passé to modern man –
Fresh turf for likes of thee –“Who learns from life, and then from text;
Go back now, check them out;
You’ll likely find they now make sense –
‘Sixth floor’, and ‘Different route’.”Lord, this is quite amazing now –
A shift complete for me;
Thanks for this way of doing life,
As “Old age” now I see.Thanks Lord for this.
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