“Be happy, young man, while you’re young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.” (Ecclesiastes 11:9)
I couldn’t help wondering why the teacher here chooses to single out “young man” even thought anyone could identify with what he writes. Then I quickly realized that the teacher is only sounding loudly the mind of a young man, may be himself when he was young….
He doesn’t endorse the particular way of thinking or approach to life even though he sounds like advising young men to go for it. In fact, it is a warning rather than an advise. Any one who has read the book (Ecclesiastes) carefully once is likely to not miss the sarcasm whilst reading the verse again….
The fact that anyone could identify with what the teacher writes in the verse above is telling us that the mindset of a young man is not limited to age -here we are reminded of the first time we heard someone talk about “40 years old teenagers”….. Yes, there are old men/women who think like young men/women.
Hence apostle Paul remarks in 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” Please note, apostle Paul is telling us that when he became a man, he made a conscious choice/decision to put childish ways behind him. Childish ways are so stubborn, and can pop up anytime, that they have to be put behind daily, otherwise they linger on….
What is the mindset of a young man/woman? Happiness means a great deal and thus to be pursued at all cost -for most people the pursuit of (personal) happiness is what life is all about. Moreover, for young man/woman the heart is meant to give joy in the days of youth -no joy is expected or envisaged in the days of old age. Here the moto is “make the most of your youth (life) whilst you can.”….
Hence, a young man/woman is committed to following the ways of his/her heart and whatever (beautiful, pleasant, cute, adorable,…) his/her eyes see. Otherwise, he/she wouldn’t be happy and here it is important to note the reference to “the ways of the heart” which is not synonymous with the ways of God…. However, following the ways of the heart is often problematic given that “the heart has its reasons that reason itself ignores.” We are fallen nature after all, aren’t we?
Interestingly, the teacher brings an important fact in, not only important but inevitable fact as well, that is, “but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.” It means, you are accountable to God of how you live. Being accountable to God implies that there is a specific lifestyle God expect of you for which you will give an account one Day.
Please note, God is the judge, not your heart. Your heart may approve of your lifestyle but God will bring you to judgment for it. Therefore, judge for yourself whether you should live to please your heart or God. Always remember, the judgment of God in view here will determine your eternal destiny.
Let’s hear from Hebrews 12:16-17, “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit his blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what was done.”
May God help us all!
