Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Ecclesiastes 11
Christian Standard Bible

Invest in Life
11 Send your bread on the surface of the water,
for after many days you may find it.
2 Give a portion to seven or even to eight,
for you don’t know what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth;
whether a tree falls to the south or the north,
the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 One who watches the wind will not sow,
and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 Just as you don’t know the path of the wind,
or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman,
so also you don’t know the work of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed,
and at evening do not let your hand rest,
because you don’t know which will succeed,
whether one or the other,
or if both of them will be equally good.
7 Light is sweet,
and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun.
8 Indeed, if someone lives many years,
let him rejoice in them all,
and let him remember the days of darkness, since they will be many.
All that comes is futile.
9 Rejoice, young person, while you are young,
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
And walk in the ways of your heart
and in the desire of your eyes;
but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
10 Remove sorrow from your heart,
and put away pain from your flesh,
because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.

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You may have heard the beginning of this chapter before.  It teaches us to diversify our investments and don't worry about them on a daily basis.  We don't see Solomon advising us to "day trade" here.  He's talking about making long-term investments in what we would call retirement accounts.

He also speaks to the idea of putting away money in savings for more immediate use in what we might call a "rainy day fund."  Disaster will come at some point, but we won't be sure what it will look like, and if it will affect us or those around us.  We should be ready in either case.

As I mentioned before, Solomon warns against the idea of what we might call "day trading" where you hold investments for a short period of time trying to use them to make regular income.  The farmer must sow and reap in the right season, but he cannot control the weather--he must trust the LORD for a good harvest.  The same goes with our investments.

Solomon says to start investing early on and to not retire at an early age.  Keep working as long as you can so that you don't plan to live off of your retirement--it will never last as long as you want it to.  Regular wages and salary are much more dependable than investment income.  With a diversified portfolio, you should mitigate the risk of having all your eggs in one basket and that investment tanking or the company going bankrupt.

Whether you die rich or poor, be happy with the life that you have been given, for every day of it comes from the hand of the LORD.  Every breath we take is a gift from Him.  There will be many bad days with some good days mixed in.  Celebrate the good days, but don't be dishonest about the existence of the bad days---they also teach us much and are there for a reason.

The young person should rejoice in his youth and live life to the fullest while he is able.  The LORD makes young people both energetic and passionate so that they will have the vision and the drive to do the things He has set their hearts and minds to.  However, dreams and passions can be dangerous things as many do not come from the LORD, so the young person needs wisdom (many times from a parent, grandparent, or other person who is older and wiser) to temper their eagerness.  There can be much desire to sin when we are young and there is a good form of self-control that keeps us from sinning.

Do not dwell on sorrow, pain, and the bitter times in life, especially when you are young and have much of your life to live.  Focusing on these things will only sour your outlook on live.  Instead, seize the day and make the most of the few days that you have (in comparison to the eternity that awaits us all), but live with eternity in your heart so that you make wise choices today.