Volume 18, Issue 23 (June 5, 2016)
“He Who Regards the Clouds...”
By Kyle Pope
Ecclesiastes 11:4 declares, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap”(NKJV). In a literal sense the wisdom of this is evident. The farmer who allows himself to become overly concerned with the threat of strong winds will not be busy working to plant his crops. Nor will he bring in a bountiful harvest if he is constantly worried about impending storm clouds. The wise farmer must sow and reap with a quiet determination. He must keep his mind on his work, without allowing possible dangers to distract him. Such a worker is not ignorant of the possibility of disaster; he simply keeps himself from being hindered by it. In a figurative sense the same is true in a number of other areas in our life in our service to God.
Obedience to the Gospel
Many souls have died outside of Christ never having obeyed the gospel because they “regard the clouds.” They know what the Bible demands of them in obedience to the Lord, yet they are overly concerned with what might lay ahead if they make the commitment. Jesus teaches the importance of “counting the cost” in passages such as Luke 14:27- 33 which uses the illustration of the king counting the cost of going to war or the builder the cost of building a tower. Counting the cost, however, doesn’t alter the necessity of action. All who are obedient to the gospel struggle with faithfulness. They face periods of strength and periods of weakness. We come into Christ as babes. No one comes to Christ full-grown. It is a process of growth. Even so, we must never allow the fear of future struggles to keep us from coming to Christ. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).
Evangeism
It is the duty of every child of God to try and win the lost to Christ. Sadly many Christians never act upon opportunities before us because we “regard the clouds.” We worry about how to answer certain questions, or perhaps we fear our answers may turn someone away. The Bible teaches that few should be teachers (James 3:1), but all are instructed to be prepared to give an answer. Peter commands “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). The responsibility of the child of God is to offer the word of God to those around us. Not all people will be moved by Scripture; some will be offended by it. Certainly, we must do our best to present God’s Word in a way that is gentle, honest, and simple. When we have done this, however, we should not be overly burdened by the consequences. That is to say, if someone rejects the message of Scripture that we have given them, we should not “beat ourselves up” about it. They are not rejecting us; they are rejecting God’s word! Our task is to plant the seeds of truth, and leave it to God to work through His word in the hearts of our hearers to bring a change in their lives. The Apostle Paul said of his own efforts, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6).
Life’s Uncertainties
Changes in life are always unsettling. These are no less traumatic just because we are Christians. The difference in the way the child of God views the uncertainties of life and the way the non-Christian must view life hinges upon the promises God has given to His people. The child of God can know that God is always present with him of her through good times and bad (Matt. 28:20). He can have the assurance that God will not allow him to face circumstances that are too harsh for his faith to endure (1 Cor. 10:13). The child of God has the promise that in seeking the kingdom of heaven he will have the necessities of life (Matt. 6:33). God fulfils this through our own faithful work, through the faithful love of our brethren, and through His own providence in supplying the materials and opportunities needed to meet these necessities. Often, Christians face life’s uncertainties as those who “regards the clouds.” We worry and fret about what we will do when some hardship befalls us, or we become depressed and despondent fearing some other remote disaster. While it is one thing to have a realistic understanding of possible challenges in the future, excessive anxiety can keep us from “reaping” the fruit the future may bring if we only act.
