WYSIWYG
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9 NASB
What the eyes see – This verse is difficult to translate because the Hebrew text leaves a lot of ambiguity. Fox suggests, “Better the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire,” but even that doesn’t clarify a lot. In order to understand this text, we have to add a lot of background from the rest of Qohelet’s analysis. What we end up with is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) theology. In other words, what Qohelet is saying is that far too often we find that even if we are enjoying a particular circumstance, our desires begin to wander, looking for more.
You are sitting at the table. Before you is a good meal, family, children and friends. You think, “This is really living.” But before the thought is finished, you notice that you wish you had another glass of wine or a better vintage. You realize that there’s a chip in one of the serving dishes and you wish you had better platters. You see your youngest child. What a delight she is. But then you notice she really could use braces to fix that smile. And on it goes. Each element of the event is robbed of its immediate delight by the desire to make it better, to improve your lot, to add to your enjoyment. It doesn’t matter how much you have, there is always room for just a little bit more. And that means what you have is always just a little bit less than what would truly make you happy. WISIWYG is replaced by What You Desire But Do Not Have (WYDBDNH). Qohelet notices that humanity is stricken with this hereditary disease, a disease that is propelled by vanity.
Any reflective human being realizes that the bumper sticker, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” is naïve if not dangerous. The collection of toys, no matter what shape or substance, means nothing to the man who pursues the elusive “one more.” He who dies with the most toys dies of envy. No one can have them all.
Too often we apply this spiritual insight only to materialism. We easily forget that the pursuit of anything other than God leads to the same conclusion. Power, sex, prestige, fame, independence, accolades – whatever is the “just a little more” variety that drives you falls into the WYDBDNH trap. This is not a wealthy man’s illness. This is an illness for all who live for another day.
There is now, this moment, when God is manifesting Himself in the world around you – and there is later when you believe you will at last find fulfillment. But tomorrow never dies.
Topical Index – WYSIWYG, what the eyes see, desire, vanity, Ecclesiastes 6:9
Lol … I am so guilty! Thank you, Skip!
Skip, you seem to be describing what the world defines as ADDICTION. An addict is never completely satisfied, but always requires more to achieve the same level of “high.” Eventually, even that is not enough.
It’s very interesting to see this in Ecclesiastes as “futility and striving after wind.” Thanks for pointing it out.
CYndee, i didn’t think of “addiction” as i was reading the piece but i think you are very right indeed… jan
So true! Just as I realize the beauty of the moment, I am likely to think, “Oh, I wish I had MORE TIME to enjoy this,” minimizing the experience of what is.
This message is very appropriate, especially at THIS TIME! 🙂
“There is now, this moment, when God is manifesting Himself in the world around you ”
Hmmm
Most of the time I don’t stay in the NOW and it is not easy for me
To not worry about the future (my children, dog, or job)
Or think about something in the past
Michael,
“Most of the time I don’t stay in the NOW and it is not easy for me”
i kinda laughed about this sentence because i wondered where you stay if not in the NOW – where do you get to go if not in the NOW??? are you talking/typing about dreaming or wishing or hoping – i’m trying to get out of the NOW also, which is being unemployed which is & has not been easy for me either & really not looking better as of today. but, i will try again today to get out of the NOW of unemployed (enjoying but not enjoying this NOW time because of fear of losing everything i have worked so hard for)…
i know a person & i’m sure there are many more that God dropped a job at their door/lap & a very good one at that – a true divine blessing & this person has an addiction of/to alcohol which is not living right in my books but God has been so merciful to this person & has blessed them greatly & in many other ways also… this person is a believer/follower of Christ but has an addiction – i would consider him a drunkard in my way of thinking but as God as said in His Word – He will have mercy upon whom HE chooses & will rain (blessings) upon whom HE chooses & see this in operation lots of times…
i bet this person never believed or thought that God would bless him so greatly because What You See Is What You Get (an alcoholic drunkard) & he got more than What You Desire But Do Not Have… I WOULD SAY GOD/JESUS/HOLY SPIRIT ARE YES, IN VERY MOMENT WE LIVE & WE DON’T EVEN KNOW IT BUT ARE CONTINUALLY BLESSED EVEN WITHOUT OUR PARTICIPATION… ♥
THANK YOU JESUS THAT YOU CHOOSE OUR MOMENTS EVEN WHEN WE DON’T KNOW IT… ♥ jan
Hi Jan,
Maybe it is a kind of paradox
In a sense we are always in the now
But when think about the now
We may not be in the now
Michael, perhaps there is a “now” coming… ♥ if / when / suddenly… 🙂 that is just what i heard from HIM…
ms. jan
“where do you get to go if not in the NOW??? are you talking/typing about dreaming or wishing or hoping”
Hi Jan,
just to clarify my point from this morning, for me being in the now is a form of mediation
Prayer can also be used to enter into the “here and now” as can deep breathing
Alcohol can also be used to enter the now but it leads to addiction
People tend to drink to kill pain, physical or psychological
if the now is too painful they want to escape
I think in our fast paced world, where we have so much to do
We are not in the here and now, because we are focused on planning the future
Wanting to meet some deadline, to get something done
Most people in our consumer society seem more like desiring machines
Than monks in meditation 🙂
Hasn’t the culture of the West convinced us that the true meaning of life is to discover pleasure and avoid pain? That shallow view of living results in addictive escape as coping mechanisms when life doesn’t turn out the way we want it to. The fact that we laud heroes is a true indicator of how little we are willing to admit that all living takes heroism.
Bravo Skip,
“The fact that we laud heroes is a true indicator of how little we are willing to admit that all living takes heroism.”
such a beautiful & profound statement of truth – i so dislike hero worship & have been guilty of it myself – perhaps not so much lauding the person but what he/she does – wishing i could do the same but in reality can’t because it is not my job but theirs – so i applaud their efforts & success when in reality like you say/typed we are all living heroes of life of which this world will never see or accept – therefore i long for that “other” world with Christ & my fellow loyal yokefellows… ♥
jan
Oh that I had read (and absorbed) this concept many many years ago! I would have been a better person…far more obedient and useful for His purposes. But, fortunately, there are lessons to be gleaned from our mistakes and G-d is a merciful, forgiving G-d. And, as you pointed out in one of your Today’s Word…”each morning we wake, we know that He still has a purpose for us.”
May we all treasure and make the most of that “Purpose.”
WOW – the world of reality…
“Too often we apply this spiritual insight only to materialism. We easily forget that the pursuit of anything other than God leads to the same conclusion. Power, sex, prestige, fame, independence, accolades – whatever is the “just a little more” variety that drives you falls into the WYDBDNH trap. This is not a wealthy man’s illness. This is an illness for all who live for another day.
There is now, this moment, when God is manifesting Himself in the world around you – and there is later when you believe you will at last find fulfillment. But tomorrow never dies.”
do you mean this is not a wealthy man’s illness “only?” because he is always wanting more or do you mean it is a now a wealthy man’s illness because he (thinks) he has everything he wants??? i think we all live for a better day be it a better or worse day…
ah tomorrow, one day tomorrow will die & it will all be different – time will be different & again, i am not sorry – i do long for & look for & expect that other day – our blessed hope of His coming for us who are & will always long to be with Him – that “other” day that some will experience & some will not… the day of all our reckoning… ♥
now, applying this piece/article to my “now” experience of living – striving here trying to get a job for more than a year & waiting on God in some sense to give me direction or open doors for me & feeling What You See Is What You Get & so far lots of age discrimination & struggling with shouldn’t i just be enjoying the moment of not having to work & trusting God to bring something to me & not being afraid i am going to lose everything in the enjoyment of the moment with God & myself not wanting more (a job) so i can survive & keep my house & feed my dogs which are living creatures that are my responsibility…
and then of course all you see in the world is exactly this: Power, sex, prestige, fame, independence, accolades – whatever is the “just a little more” variety that drives you falls into the What You Desire But Do Not Have (WYDBDNH) trap; this is the way of the world & i don’t fit in…
i am feeling/thinking i may end up like the prophets of old in the desert with the ravens feeding me all alone with just God/Jesus/Holy Spirit & i… What You See Is What You Get once again… because i really never lived like What You Desire But Do Not Have (Power, sex, prestige, fame, independence, accolades) – i really have nothing & may lose everything but HIM… ♥ so yes, i am always looking forward to that better day with HIM & trying to enjoy the moment here with HIM today without worrying what is going to happen to me next…
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET… 🙂 jan
So what is the supposed spiritual state of Solomon when he wrote this book. He seems to be looking back on his life as a big experiment on how to gain happiness, or contentment, or peace,… or whatever people think the “real life” is. He sets up staw-men and then tears them down. I feel like his theology is the similar to Pauls,… ultimately.
Or, do we suppose this as just a sad and confused composition after his many wives and concubines had confused his theology?
Yikes. I can’t even read my own post. Time for an English refresher.
Who says Solomon wrote this? Traditionally it is ascribed to him, but many scholars disagree. Changes the context a bit, doesn’t it?
Fair ‘nuf. But for whoever the author is, I always figured he was showing the vanity of alternative philosophies. He exhausts the possibilities for meaning in life, and concludes that a purposeful life is one that finds the path of obedience.
So isn’t much of what Qohelet writes similar to the arguments of Job’s friends. It sort of sounds right, but it’s not. In Qohelet’s case, he tells you throughout. Maybe this is it [the meaning of life],…. nope. Maybe this is what really has meaning,…. nope.
Yes, that’s seems to be the trajectory of the text. However, many scholars have argued that the last two verses, the positive turn toward obedience and faith, were added to the text by a redactor in order to make the whole message acceptable. The words of Qohelet leave us with a bleak and pessimistic view of life without those two verses, but perhaps that’s why the book is so important. Life without a turn toward God is exactly as Qohelet describes it – chasing after wind, no meaning, no real answers. I think this is the most powerful “tract” in Scripture. It strips men of every human pretension of meaning.
Skip, all others, Public Broadcasting CO. advertised several weeks ago, ( I NEVER watch TV, but my husband was watching a ball game and turning the channels, I happen to walk through the area at the time and stopped suddenly to see if what I thought it was saying, was correct) ” a program where a researcher or more than one perhaps, stated that they had proof that Solomon never existed. Big promotion on it, and it was to be another day and time. I did not write it down, and never looked up anything more on it. IF ANYONE SAW IT, WHAT WAS THE ESSENCE OF PROOF THAT SOLOMON NEVER LIVED?——– OKAY, HOPEFULLY MICHAEL, OR SOMEONE SAW IT?—— THANKS, LAVAYE
Life with Him. Life without Him. You choose. It’s your (free) choice.
Things (all things) do go better with Christ. He is the ONE who adds years to our life and life to our years. And (according to the Book G-d wrote) without Him we can do nothing..(John 15.5)
And again, according to G-d’s instruction:
~So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal~ (2 Corinthians 4.18)
“For we walk by faith not by sight”- and faith comes by hearing. Now hear the word of the LORD. In Hebrew- “shema”. Listen and obey. We are “faith-walkers” and not “sight-seers.”
The voice sounds likes Jacob but the hands are hairy like Esau. Abraham was deceived for not recognizing the voice of his own son, but rather living by sight of fool’s gold. “Looking good” seems to be of paramount importance in today’s society- hence the three hundred dollar haircuts and the right color tie in order to “appear”- whatever.
By faith, (and faith comes by hearing). Not WYSIWYG but rather WYHIWYG. (what you hear)- now hear the word of the LORD. “Shema, O Israel.” Listen to Him. (and) ~Whatever He says unto you- do it.~
Do we recognize and realize the voice of the Shepherd? ~My sheep hear my voice..~