“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” – Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV
A former mentor introduced me to this biblical verse. I found it to be incredibly thought-provoking. I’ve interpreted some mixed messages from this dramatic piece.
An Interpretation
Seize the opportunity to pursue our calling in life! Why not use the time we have to work? Why not develop our knowledge and wisdom?
Death is the absence of your personal pursuit. To be idle is to succumb to death. Quite literally, I’ve observed that active people who live their lives in contentment are healthier and live longer.
Stagnation
Perhaps the verse is hinting at the idea that we should pursue our calling in life in a more unplanned way.
Why think so deeply about our calling? After all, we can’t plan out everything. This deep thinking can paralyze our ability to take action.
This is called the preparation mindset. It’s when we will never feel like we have planned enough, or have gained enough knowledge to pursue our goals.
In death, none of that matters. When people are faced with death, they have a shift of perspective. Suddenly people become aware of what really matters to them.
Live Life
Quit all the planning and thinking! Just do “whatever your hand finds to do and do it with all your might”.
The working, planning, knowledge and wisdom will come as a result of the action that you take.
