Diversify

Ecc 11:2 "Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth." ESV

 

Solomon is considered the wisest man that ever lived. Proverbs is full of his insight. Yet, I never considered that Ecclesiastes is just as full of wisdom and good advice. I think that Ecclesiastes is thought to be about how vain life is…and it is. But tucked away in the middle of these thoughts from Solomon that no matter what he did, it was vanity, there are these pearls of wisdom that even in this vain life, we need to heed.

 

This is one of them. Solomon knew that things would not always be peaches and cream in this life. He knew that tough times could and probably would come. He knew that disaster happens and we have to be prepared for it. He didn't sit around and put his head in the sand and say: "Whatever will be will be.". He thought that proper planning was a wise thing to do. So this was his advice: "Give portion to seven, or even to eight." Spread it around. Diversify. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. The word for "portion" actually means: "share, territory, possessions". It is the stuff we own. His advice was to spread it out into seven or eight different places. Why? Chances are, if disaster comes, it will not all be hit.

 

Now I think about what is happening in our world. The economy everywhere seems to be collapsing. President Obama wants authority to borrow another trillion dollars. (We are already 16 trillion in debt. Take a look at the debt clock, it will startle you: www.usdebtclock.org Frankly, this is unsustainable and ready to explode.) There is saber rattling over in the Middle East about Iran getting the bomb, and closing the Straits of Hormuz. Israel is talking about doing what they can to stop this. Saudi Arabia is saying that they will increase oil production if Iranian production stops. And Iran's response? Threats. Talk about disaster. This is a powder keg waiting to blow up and it will affect all of us. What do we do? Get ready. Prepare. Diversify.

 

And this does not just mean with our possessions. It means with our talents. It means with our skills. It means with our abilities. It means with what we are learning. It means what we are teaching. It means helping others get their houses in order. It means getting our own house in order. Not because we are running scared. Not because we have something to fear. But because it is wise. And it is wise because you really don't know how God will use you to help others when you are ready.

 

Solomon is preaching to me right now. Diversify.