Whatever Your Hands Find to Do
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Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou go.”
What does Solomon mean by that verse? We know that Solomon is one of the wisest men to have ever lived and Solomon through experience came to this conclusion. We can benefit from Solomon’s experience if we grasp the meaning of what he is trying to say in this verse.
It is interesting that Solomon does not specify the action that is being done. Solomon says, “Whatsoever”. Obviously from the context Solomon is telling them to find good things to do, but whatever those good things are, do them with your might. Might is a word that means “force, vigor, strength”. In other words, whatever our hands find to do should be done with every ounce of strength and power that we have to put into it.
This applies to our work as a Christian. We all have a work to do in the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 12:18-20) and must approach that work with the entirety of our strength and effort. A “Lukewarm” Christian is not acceptable to God (Revelation 3:15-16). Yet the truth of this verse applies to much more than just our work as a Christian.
Should we choose to marry, we are to approach our marriage with the same strength and might. He tells wives, “as unto the Lord” and husbands, “as Christ loved the church” (Eph 5:22; 25). Paul leaves no room in this verse for half hearted marriages. There is no room for putting forth any effort other than our entire strength and might into our marriage.
Servants are told to serve their masters with singleness of heart as unto Christ (Eph 6:5-6). When we as employers choose to serve an employee, we must put our whole strength and might into our work for that boss. This leaves no room for half hearted, “I wish I wasn’t here” attitudes towards our work, but rather requires our entire strength be pressed into that job.
Once again, this truth that Solomon has given to us applies to “Whatsoever”. It applies in every aspect of our lives. If we are going to grow and become better as God wants us to, then we must put our entire strength and might into everything that our hands find to do. We should never do anything half way, or just good enough to get by. If we choose to pursue something, we should pursue it with every power and might that we have.
Solomon also tells us to be careful what we choose to do and to choose to do right. We will be judged for what we choose to do (Ecc 11:9). Solomon tells us that in all we do, make sure that following the Lord is at the center of our lives. Remember your creator (Ecc 12:1). Paul reiterates this concept in Colossians 3:17 which says, “And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord.”
We have free will and choice. We can do whatever we desire in this life. Yet in order to have a complete, happy, peaceful life there are some rules. We must choose to do that which is good. We must do it with all of our strength and might. Don’t ever be satisfied with partial effort, “good enough”, or a half-hearted mindset. If you choose to dig ditches, do it with all your might. If you choose to race cars, do it with all your might. If you choose to raise horses, do it with all your might. Yet in whatever your hands find to do, serve the Lord...and do it with all your might!
