The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ecclesiastes 12:8-14, “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
11 The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections
are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.
12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and
excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is
good or evil.”

Have you ever labored diligently over something, but felt realistically that you were accomplishing absolutely nothing? Of course, you have. So has everyone, everywhere! “What’s the use?” you ask. “Nothing seems to fit together in this project! I might as well
quit!”

Well, before you quit, it would, perhaps, be encouraging somewhat to learn that the
human author, who asked those questions, was himself the wisest man who ever lived –Solomon! Does that mean we might as well give up? Certainly not! What Solomon is
saying is that we all have the same perplexities.

One solution to the perplexities in Solomon’s day was his teaching his people what he
had learned from his own studies. One thing Solomon learned was that “the words of
wise men are like goads…well-driven nails” that “are from one Shepherd.” Those
goads, or nails, keep the the animals from straying away from the pathway on which
they were being guided. It’s like studying the Bible in order to live life as the LORD
intended us to live it.

True Preachers are God-called men, who find in Scripture the teachings the LORD
wants His people to learn and to follow. True preachers not only teach the people from
the pulpit, they live what they teach others to live! They become living examples of
what the LORD wants, leading their congregations by example as well as by teaching!

Still, it’s not preachers alone, who affect their congregations. What we all learn from
our pastor, he has learned from the Holy Scriptures. And what our children learn, they
learn from us, their parents, who in turn, learned from their pastor. We are all responsible
to behave in life as the LORD intends. If you feel the “goads,” you have strayed from His pathway! Better get back on track –and fast!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom