Day Twelve: Fulsome

What if the quality of our life wasn’t measured by the ratio
of in:out – with the goal of the “in” to ever-accumulate and the “out” to ever-scale
– but by receiving our lot with gladness of heart?

It sounds like Pollyanna (which I watched a lot as a child),
but it’s biblical (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20):

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

So, what is my lot?

To seek in the manner God
has chosen.To live few days. Which isn’t
so bad, since I live with a sense of eternity I can’t experience here. This
happens later.To experience all the times
(Ecclesiastes 3).To eat and drink.To find satisfaction in my
work.To receive what has been given.
There is no real adding here – just participating, with the quality of my
contribution directly correlating to the God who does the real creating.

And what does it mean to be “occupied with gladness of
heart?”

Well, less brooding for
one. More of an inward smile.Less thoughts about me.Better questions to God and
a steady dialogue with God to explore the answers.Empathy to see and hear the
people around me. Love to act on it.Amaterialism – happy to
have it and happy to not.More scripture on the brain
to chase away the dark places.Little-to-no concern over my
circumstances. They’re my lot.