In Others' Words: Rest

"One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after the wind." Ecclesiastes 4:6

Back when I taught women's Bible studies, I loved doing word studies. It was so intriguing to dig into the meaning of words and watch the deeper truths of a verse unfold.

Take the word "rest" in today's quote. Rest. Quietness. A quiet attitude. Hhhmmm. Discovering that perspective on "rest" begins to turn the verse differently for me.

What about the word "labor"? Toil. Trouble. Mischief. Mischief? That makes me think of being somewhere I don't belong and doing something I ought not to be doing ... am I going to get caught? 

Last word: "wind." (Did you think I was going to look at the word "striving?" It means .... striving.) Wind. A vain, empty thing. 

Rephrasing Ecclesiastes 4:6: One hand full of a quiet attitude is better than two fists full of toil and striving after vain, empty things.

Sometimes I think doing is the most important thing. What do I have to show for all my efforts at the end of the day? This truth tells me that being quiet--learning to cultivate an attitude that allows me to rest--ensures that I am not wasting my time pursuing things of no value.

In Your Words: Rest or striving? Which is more your modus operandi? How do you cultivate rest?