Finding contentment: Ecclesiastes and Lois Lowry
- Katie Bianchini
- May 17, 2019
- 4 min read
I’m in the process of rereading Lois Lowry's The Giver series. Inspired after watching the movie adaptation of The Giver in a sophomore English class, I thought I ought to peruse the book to examine the producer’s loyalty to Lowry’s original plot.
As it turns out, the movie is almost as different as it could be from the book while still maintaining the main plot points:
· There’s a strange community somewhere without colors and emotions (but they do have a buttload of rules)
· A group of kids come to the age where they’re assigned jobs (of course they don’t get to choose)
· Recognizing protagonist Jonas’s special talent, the leaders assign him a unique job that no one else has gotten in years; inner turmoil ensues as he confronts his unexpected twist of fate
· Jonas discovers his society’s corruption and despite his own fears/the odds against him, sets out on a quest to stick it to the man
Next, I reread Gathering Blue (no motion picture yet…probably only because producers have yet to convince Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, or Kate Winslet to play yet another seething villainess in a darkly-colored power suit. I hold out hope for this film. Perhaps an opportunity for Anne Hathaway or Emma Stone to play against type and break into the female villain game???).
Anyway, the main plot of GB:
· Kira, a girl with a twisted leg, loses her mother and the community tries to get rid of her, too, because of her disability
· The leaders of the community notice Kira’s talent in weaving threads and bring her to the capital to sew the most important project in all the land
· Kira meets other kids with extraordinary talents at the capital and realizes they’re all being held hostage for their artistic gifts
· Despite the opportunity to escape forever, Kira recognizes that she must stay in her current position to stick it to the man from within the system
A few days after concluding GB, I heard a message on Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 which talks about the fruitlessness of striving after riches.
Verse 5:10 summarizes the entire passage very well (I added italics):
“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.”
We’re all striving for more—a bigger house, a better car, more time for leisure activities, or as specifically pointed out in the passage, more money.
And what happens when we get the “more” we’ve been seeking? Are we finally content? No, instead, we start struggling toward a new “more.”
The pastor pointed out that the first sin entered the world because “Adam and Eve wanted just one more tree.”
Verse 19 gives the antidote for the emptiness we experience in striving for more: contentment.
“Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.”
This is contentment ;) look at life like Chris at that cherry Popsicle
It’s easy for me to think of “accepting my lot” as a begrudging task. “Well, this is my lot so I guess I’ll deal with it.” OR “Man, I wish I had that other guy’s lot over there, but oh well, I guess I’ll make the best of this garbage I have over here.”
However, the pastor suggested that true contentment—the type described in verse 19—means “embracing God’s given boundaries and finding what you have been given beautiful.” (ie your lot actually includes all the "good" and "bad" things, so it's accepting them all)
Mmm. Embracing the boundaries. I don’t know about you, but that’s a hard one for me because I like to think I can keep going without rest or I can fit one more thing into my schedule.
When I attempt to do more and thus define myself by the number of things I do, I lose sight of what the Lord has given me and demonstrate ingratitude for who I am in Him. I end up tired, disappointed, disillusioned, and frustrated.
Just as the leaders in The Giver and Gathering Blue hold Jonas, Kira, and their friends’ talents hostage, we often let our pursuit of “more” take our joy and talents captive.
The leaders promise Kira and Jonas provisions, comfort, safety, and prominence if only they use their talents as requested. At first glance, it seems like a good deal—do the work in the way society requires the and reap the benefits. But soon, both teens realize the abuse of their work and the emptiness of the leaders’ promises.
When we strive after more instead of living in contentment, we find ourselves in the same predicament as Kira and Jonas. The world’s promises attached to earning more money, doing and achieving more, and owning more come up short.
I'll just leave this here...one time when someone needed more...
What compromises do you make for the sake of the world’s promises of comfort, safety, status, or reputation?
What “more” do you strive after instead of contentedly accepting “your lot?”
And most importantly, what do you allow to take captive your gifts and talents?
At the end of his message, our pastor gave three practical steps toward contentedness (specifically with money, but these can spill over to any part of life):
Radical thanks: move beyond a pre-meal thank you prayer. Take time each day to recognize all you have and list the things you’re thankful for. And demonstrate your thanks through…
Radical giving: everything you have was given to you—freely give of it to others (without expectation of returned favors).
Radical investing: invest your entire lot in God’s work (not just your money but your time, too). Maybe that’s stepping out in faith to enter a role God’s called you toward that doesn’t make a lot of sense to you…maybe it’s being fully present in the jobs and activities you already do…maybe it’s opening your home to others…the possibilities are endless!
Unremarkable Jonas and physically-broken Kira become heroes when they break free of captivity to step out in radical ways in their worlds. In the same way, God can and will work through ordinary, broken people like us when we find contentment in His gifts and surrender them to His kingdom work.
Comentarios