“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” – Thoreau

In all aspects of life, we all search for contentment in something. Good grades, new cars, high-performing jobs, or an influx of friends all give us that little piece of satisfaction. It is within our nature to find meaning within processes, and objects. That contentment, however, does not last. Soon wanting more, we look to other products, more services or people to nourish our ever-growing desire for satisfaction. Deeply rooted in our very being is the desire to find that one thing that completes the search, concludes the rat-race, and eternally fills our soul with true life. I feel like every human being at some, or even multiple points, within their lives, has thoughts about what the true life is. Some end up finding the source of this life, while others, although reaching thought-provoking or interesting conclusions, fall by the wayside.

Henry David Thoreau, an American philosopher, poet, and writer conducted an experiment in 1852 where he left his normal life in Massachusetts, trecking into the woods on a quest to find the meaning of life, stating that, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear. (Walden, 31)” Thoreau later states that he was searching for the “marrow of life;” a perpetual source or state that he could enter into, quenching that desire for true life. For two years, two weeks, and two days, Thoreau positioned himself in those woods, living as simply as he could, recording his daily activities and contemplations which later was compiled into a book named Walden.

Similarly, in the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher (author), finds himself in the same position Thoreau does: longing to find what life really is. Having two different narrators within the book, Ecclesiastes, the preacher tells of a life of abundance, wisdom, and pleasure. He describes the life he lived was one that even the most humble would envy. Very quickly, however, he casts the veil of extravagance away to reveal that “vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” The Preacher understands that life has a deeper meaning than material possessions or a profound amount of knowledge. Within the book of Ecclesiastes, he too longs for the marrow of life;  life’s deeper meaning.

Both authors are in search of something. Something perhaps that is greater than themselves, potentially transforming the way they view life.

Unadorned Life

If you ask any minimalist, essentialist, or practically anyone who strives for a simple life, what book most inspired them to make such a drastic change in a word full of stuff; they will most likely attribute that push from Thoreau’s book, Walden. Simplicity is the umbrella theme of this work. Encapsulating a major piece of the experiment, living a simple life was the conduit that provided Thoreau with the “space” to adequately contemplate life. I believe this is an important point to be unpacked due to the fact that you and I live in one of the most stimulated and elaborate times this world has ever seen. Technology, being so integrated into our culture and our ability to search for unfathomable amounts of information in just a few seconds don’t help either.

Thoreau’s thoughts on living simply provide an interesting insight into how we should be living today. Stripping away all except the things that were necessary for life, Thoreau was able to focus on what mattered most to him. He was able to walk through the woods without worry, stare reflectively at a pool of water without interruption of other people or obligations, thus, breaking away from societal notions. I understand this is a very extreme application of simplicity, nevertheless, I do see the benefit of actively striving towards living a life free from an excess of “fluff”

The author of Ecclesiastes looks at simplicity as something that should be interwoven into our lives, because, it is one of the only things that we can actively control. Life is like vapor. God’s will and plan for our lives can appear random and unconventional to our minds. The author acknowledges this while stating that the only thing we can control is our attitude and appreciation for life. A conversation with a friend, sitting quietly with a cup of coffee in hand, or the warmth of the sun beating on your face are all things the author says we should focus on. The moments of rage, the instances of envy or jealousy all can be controlled one way or another. The author provokes us to think about the simple things within life; the things that could happen within a moment without us knowing, the things that we can actively control and be attentive to.

This concept also plays a large part in our spiritual life, giving us the freedom to focus on the most meaningful thing in our life: God. Living an unsimplistic life by no means an evil thing. Life is complex and involves many many moving pieces. However, this world continually calls for our time and attention. If we are not careful with the things that we buy, own, and take part in, they can and will become idols. Like most things, that process may be slow and innocent at first, but very quickly will the undertow of idol worship drag you down into its grasp. Christ calls us to a lifestyle that will edify Him. He also calls us to fully surrender to Him. Allowing the perishable things of this world to be placed onto the throne of our hearts (where God should be), we cease to fully devote our lives to worship and the will of the Father, thus, fundamentally breaking the Lord’s commandment: Love the Lord your God with ALL of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Death

In both Walden and the book of Ecclesiastes, the frailty of human life is talked about frequently. Essentially, the narrator giving the account in the first portion of Ecclesiastes concludes that we are born into a broken world, we live a broken life, we helplessly crawl through our days, suffocating in our own sin every step of the way, only to die. Many may think this is a morbid thought, yet it portrays exactly what happens. “All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.” (Eccles. 3:20).

We must not become comfortable with our lives here on earth because someday, we will die. Sin is responsible for this unfortunate reality. The Preacher understands that death is inevitable in addition to the fact that we as humans don’t know when that time of departure is. As stated beforehand, being enthralled with physical possessions or our attainable knowledge is all vanity in the Preachers eyes. Playing into my previous point, allowing things to take the utmost importance of our hearts not only separates us from the love of God but on the day of our deaths, all those things that we have placed on the thrones of our heart will pass away, just like us.

It is so incredibly important to have the concept of our mortality in our heads. In the time of the Greeks, when valorous soldiers and leaders would come back from war, they would be greeted by hundreds of people, shouting, dancing, and rejoicing at their victory. Riding next to each of the generals and leaders would be a servant who would utter these words, “Memento Mori.” This is a mantra, which would be repeated over and over in the heads of these famed leaders. It simply means, “Remember that you will die.”

In a Christian sense, this mantra can be thought of in a different light. “Remember you are but a mere mortal.” Or, “Remember the judgment day of the Lord.” Being aware of death and shortness of life is a sobering driving force that can make you ponder the ways in which we spend our time here on earth. Are we using it to glorify the Lord, the One who breathed life into us, and calls us to humbly follow His will? Or are we filling our time with things that appear satisfactory at the moment? Will we choose to quench the precious gift of life God has given us?

Wisdom

Wisdom by far is one of the most accessible things in this day and age. With the nebulous, that is the internet, we have access to hundreds of thousands of bits and pieces of information from all sorts of talent pools. If I want to learn how to play a song on guitar or learn a new language, I can easily look up a YouTube video and within seconds, have hundreds of results to choose from. Thousands of academic papers and research containing critical information can be brought up on a device the size of your hand. We may think that this influx of knowledge is one of the best things that has happened in our recent history. Though the genius of the internet is clearly visible, it can become detrimental on a more fundamental level.

Both authors state that conventional knowledge, or wisdom, isn’t worthwhile. Thoreau states that true wisdom is not found in the continual consummation of material, but through the moments of life day by day. The preacher of Ecclesiastes says that wisdom is an essential thing to strive for, however, too much wisdom brings vexation.

The differences in interpretation are obvious with both authors, yet they still provide strikingly relevant points on how wisdom can be sought and used in our lives. When we allow ourselves to become present-minded and open to the things that occur day by day, we begin to see the patterns and shapes life takes on. We start to notice the minor things that push our buttons and aggravate us. On the opposite side of the coin, as wisdom becomes something that we seek without control, it becomes “a pursuit of the wind.” (Eccles 1:17).

We can become so trapped in the paradox of wisdom. It is good to attain wisdom, but too much of it leads to trouble. Focusing on consuming large amounts of information at a time leads us into a tunnel vision mindset. The grand picture of Gods righteousness and His sovereign grace fades away. Again, like so many things, wisdom can so easily become an idol that replaces God. The preacher is fundamentally arguing and calling us to look at the type of wisdom that we are absorbing. The source of all wisdom is found in God Himself; nothing else. As we walk through life, we may become lost and tend to rely on the wisdom of man. But if we focus our attention to the wisdom of the Lord, He will lead us through the metaphorical fog of life into something much greater.

What Thoreau Missed

As his journey in the woods of Massachusetts came to a close, Thoreau’s final thought pertains to finding true life through slowing down and isolating yourself, thus, finding oneself through that. He writes that there is, in fact, a better life than the one that most modern people are living. He states that life is found through the guise of one’s own will and nature. Even though he thought he had found it, the true essence of life Thoreau so desperately wanted was never found. His search, contemplations, and writings are a great value and continue to bring challenging questions to individuals, even to this day. Most importantly though, he missed the mark on the most critical thing which is stated at the end of Ecclesiastes.

Though subtle, the presence of two voices in the book of Ecclesiastes becomes clear. What we read, is the Preacher’s work taken at a later date and expanded further upon by a father to his son. This second narrator takes the depressive nature of the preacher’s conclusions and agrees with him. The road of life is often unclear and can appear random in many instances. We all live a short life just to die someday. The father, however, gives the son (and the reader), the source of true life and how to follow it. In the last two verses of the book, he states, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Later on in the Bible, we are introduced to the life and sacrifice Christ made for us. All across the New Testament are statements that Christ is the true life. To live a life for the sake of the cross is a life full of meaning and worth. The vanity of life becomes less obtrusive, while the light of the Son’s love guides us. What Thoreau missed in his isolation was that we ourselves can’t produce and find the source of life through our own will. Solitude, contemplation, and wisdom all fall short when they are not directed towards Jesus. We find the abounding source of eternal life through the arms of Christ, the pursual of the cross, and keeping the Lord’s commandment.

Ecclesiastes and Walden will forever be some of my favorite pieces of literature for two reasons. One: That they both question fundamental things that can be so easily forgotten about, or not thought of at all. Two: Both books lead me to think about the true essence of life. Where Walden provokes the question Ecclesiastes answers it.

Conclusion

I urge you, the reader, to consider the path that you are on. Are you striving towards things that will eventually loose there significance? Are you opening up your heart to different products, material items, wealth, and earthly wisdom disregarding the true life we can find through Christ? Instill in your heart that all things outside of the Lord are vanity and that the search for life in its truest sense comes from one source. A life worth living starts with the One who laid Himself on a tree, bearing affliction and death, rising from the grave and ascending into heaven. True life begins the moment we understand that Christ Himself is the bread of life, and that “he who has the son has the life…”