Finding Goodness Beyond Circumstance: Reflections on Ecclesiastes

Each month, we ask our Board Chaplain, David Goodyear, to share.

These are reflections from scripture to help challenge, guide, and encourage us in our faith. Here are a few thoughts he reshared based on our board devotionals over the last few months:

In AgGrandize Global board meetings, we've explored the profound insights of Ecclesiastes, particularly the theme of life “under the sun,” which signifies living apart from the divine reality of God.

In chapter 7, Solomon expresses frustration, “I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and a wicked man who prolongs his life in wickedness.” This prompts a timeless question: Why do good people suffer while the wicked thrive? Is life merely a chaotic sequence of events devoid of divine purpose?

Augustine, centuries later, echoed these thoughts by contemplating God’s judgment: “We do not know why God’s judgment makes a good man poor, and a wicked man rich… Nor why the wicked man enjoys the best of health, whilst the man of religion wastes away in illness.” He notes the inconsistencies in fortune among the righteous and the unrighteous. Augustine concluded that while we may not understand God’s ways, it is essential to focus on recognizing the good unique to those who are virtuous.

He posited that true Goodness transcends circumstances. The New Testament introduces the Greek word Agathis, which refers to a Goodness that is inherently beneficial. It appears in various forms throughout scripture: in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 as an inner desire for Good, in Romans 15:14 as an affirmation of virtue, and in 1 Timothy 1:5 as a conscience attuned to benevolence.

Ultimately, it is this very Goodness that Jesus references when He welcomes us home with the words: “Well done, thou Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”

But it’s a mistake to think we have to wait for eternity to hear such affirmation. Instead, let’s attentively assess our actions and thoughts each day, striving to embody this Goodness and listen for these words of encouragement in our daily lives.

As we navigate through life's uncertainties, may we seek the enduring Good that lies beyond the ebbs and flows of circumstance, and find solace in the knowledge that true virtue and Goodness are ours to pursue.