Psalm 128: Run It Well

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

May you live to see your children’s children—peace be on Israel. - Psalm 128

"You will eat the fruit of your labor...Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house." Sometimes I think that people want to live too loudly. They set their standard for success so high and then are disappointed when they don't turn out to be the superstar in their own drama. That's where they have placed their happiness and in their old age they are nursing the memories of their small victories and grudges trying to convince themselves that they have found IT...the think they were looking for. Our life isn't about our achieving success, it is about living well. "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9:9) says Solomon and "...Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,"  says Paul. Life isn't about winning the race. Only one wins but those who run achieve the blessing if they finish well.  

Thats what this Psalm is setting out there: the really blessed people are the ones who live ordinary lives well in a land where they flourish. The phrase "May you" is the start of a blessing indicating how the Psalmist asks God in his grace to make the lives of those who are praying or singing this psalm. The blessed ones are the ones who get to do their job, love their wife, see their children grown and live long enough to see their children. It a reminder that this is the win--not finishing a project or becoming CEO-an what I should be aiming for.

Ecclesiastes 9:14-18: Poor Wise Man

There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king. Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good. - Ecclesiastes 9:14-18

Questions that came from my morning reading today: 

1. Are there wise people whose wisdom I overlook because of their status? How can I see them more clearly?
2. Are there foolish people whose foolishness I pay attention to because of their status? How can I see them more clearly?

Since neither wealth nor poverty obscures the eyes of God, I pray for his preferences to be mine, in wisdom and foolishness, even if I cannot always the full reason for his choices.