Poor Weathermen

“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4-6, NIV)

My pastor’s brother was a missionary in Beirut, Lebanon. Once I heard his wife speak on this passage of Scripture. Over the years of serving Christ in that hotspot, they had some amazing adventures. Once they felt prompted to get their family out of their home for the night. They obeyed. The next morning they returned to find that their home had been partially destroyed. A mortar shell had exploded propelling broken glass across the bedroom of their son.

This became her life verse, for they never knew what to expect. They learned that they could not focus on the dangers or the obstacles. They had to keep their eyes fixed on the Lord. They learned to be diligent in whatever their hand found to do, for they didn’t know which thing the Lord would bless.

I think sometimes we can get the paralysis of analysis. We become so concerned about which is the best path or the obstacles in our path that we don’t do anything. God has given us His instruction manual. Then He says, “Just do it.” If we sow we will surely reap a harvest, but if we merely watch the wind and the clouds, then we will be, at best, poor weathermen!