“They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.”
Personal note: I could go in three directions with this verse. First, at the Lord’s obvious derision for “great people” or princes of the world from the previous verse. Second, the Parable of the Sower and Weeds in Matthew 13. But I zeroed in on the word, “chaff”. I looked up the definition: 1) the husks of corn or other seed separated by threshing or winnowing, 2) chopped hay and straw used as fodder (feed for cattle and other livestock, 3) worthless things, trash. The Hebrew word is qash and means stubble or chaff and in this verse is used as a simile for driven by wind.
- Oh, Lord, there is nothing of merit or long-standing value that can stand against Your hand or Your breath if You aren’t in it. Forgive us when we try to do things in our own strength. We recognize Your gifts of intelligence, skill, and talent, but most especially the “heart” to do or create that’s given to us through Your DNA.
- Monuments age with time. Treasure gathered and horded is eventually lost or buried, left to be found by someone else if at all. This life can be meaningless or filled with purpose. Give us insight, courage, and fortitude to put our hands to the plow in what You’ve called us to. Keep us on Your path of righteous living. Provide opportunity and materials, tools and training, vision and design.
- Your greatest gift to us is Your love. Magnify Yourself in us, Lord. May Your heart beat louder in us. How can we express our love back to You? Teach us to number our days. (Ps 90:12) Help us to pay attention (Prv 2:2). Give us a heart for others (Heb 12:14) Abide in us, that we may love others as You love us. (1 Jn 4:16)
- In the end, we recognize that it’s not how much we have, nor what we accomplish, but we will be judged on how well we loved one another as well as the stranger. We’d rather be judged in this life! Correct us. Convict us. Caution us. Guide us daily. (Mt 7:2)