Mamas, today we start out with a test. Do you know the author of the excerpt below?
I said to myself, “Let’s go for it… have a good time.” But I found that this too was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” Who needs it? With the help of a bottle of wine and all the wisdom I could muster, I tried my level best to penetrate the absurdity of life. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards, designed gardens and parks … made pools of water… I piled up silver and gold… I had everything a man could desire!”
Oh, how I prospered! … and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted I would take. I never said no to myself. I gave into every impulse, held nothing back. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless- like chasing the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.”
Any guesses mamas? Sounds almost like a modern day Hollywood actor, eh? Okay, the translation may give away the time period, (even with my purposeful editing).
Based on the above description, from a man who literally had it all, there is no ‘good part’ to life. That excerpt came from: Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11 (NLT and The Message translations). The author is King Solomon; (The son of David; the David and Goliath of the Bible). Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, and one of the wealthiest. As you can tell, these luxuries still did not make him immune to the struggle of humankind; our eternal quest for the ‘good part’. This is the great equalizer of all humans, because we all want it, we all seek it, and none of us have it.
Do you want to know a secret? There is no ‘good part’ this side of Heaven! Each of us have an internal longing to fill the Jesus shaped hole in our hearts, and it is not filled by any material items, pleasures, drugs, or earthly relationships. The more you chase after ‘meaningless’ things, seeking fulfillment, the more you know ‘good part’ doesn’t exist here.
Recently I had a sushi date with a new friend. I will never forget her reaction when I told her about ice baby. She said: “Ahhhhhh, he got to skip to the good part!” I have never had my feelings summarized so plainly, perfectly or succinctly, until then. All my babies got to skip to the good part!
Earth does not hold our greatest treasure; our ultimate fulfillment. We will always be looking for more this side of Heaven. We will always sense we are not fully complete. My babies missed all that; they skipped to the good part. I know they are in a better place and they have the enviable position.
Mamas, this does not diminish our purpose here on earth. If we are breathing, we have purpose! Don’t be so focused on longing for the ‘good part’ that you miss out on your right now purpose.
SIDENOTE: Mamas if you want to know more about ‘the good part’, please go the “Need a Best Friend” page of this website.
Ice Baby Ministries 