I have just come home from playing golf in a Holden scramble 4 person Ambrose where as a team you have to make a lot of decisions on the golf course about whose tee shot to use ensuring you make the most of each person’s ability. You hope that the decisions you make are the best, but you never know. Even playing golf on our own and when you end up in the trees; do you take your medicine and chip out or take a risk and try a recovery shot up the fairway? The challenge and sometimes the frustration of life and playing golf is that we do not know how the future will turn out until we make the decision from a number of choices. A little prayer can give us courage, but often there is no guiding light about which road to take.

In the end you have to make the best decision you can based on reflection and prayer and trust God for the outcome.

Our author reflects also on when we do the right thing and suffer and when the wicked do wrong and they prosper. It’s not to say we are always the ones doing the right thing because there have been many times when I have done wrong and prospered as well. But we should be sobered and comforted by the promise of God and reminder that everyone will give an account of their life to God. On that day all our secrets and sins will be exposed. On that day justice and mercy will come together when all of life’s issues of justice will be settled by Jesus.

Then there is also something else our author is concerned about; there are those who claim to know everything. It is not just the teenager who is prone to this, but those who present a very narrow view of life. These types of people can be dangerous, because as we know, when you know everything, your world is very small.  It is one of the reasons why everything we believe should be open for debate and discussion. A dose of humility can help all of us live together better.

Our author encourages us that in spite of our shortcomings our basic attitude should be to enjoy life. By that I think he means not to let our frustrations and limitations get the better of us. If you let bad decisions get the better of you or worry about the wicked that prosper, you won’t enjoy life very much.  

Prayer. Lord help me to live at peace with the things I cannot understand, and to make wise choices that will help me to enjoy life and be a blessing to others. Amen.