SCATTERING AND GATHERING

Today's reading: Ecclesiastes 3-4

"There is a time for everything...A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones." Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 NLT

Rocks intrigue me.

They have since I was a child.

My family tells me that my grandmother and I used to walk up and down the gravel road from my house to hers, at a very slow pace, because I needed to pick up each and every 'pretty stone' I laid my eyes on.

No doubt that the pocketful of rocks was quickly deposited back outside after I had left her house--possibly for me to ooh and aah over on the next leisurely stroll.

In the area where most of the Bible was written, stones were everywhere!

Stones were gathered to be used to build walls, homes, and monuments to the Lord.

Stones were also picked up out of fields and scattered along the roadways in an effort to make the harvest more profitable. 

So when Solomon referred to scattering and gathering stones, the people knew just what he was talking about.

His advice is applicable to us today...

On some occasions we need to scatter the stones we are using to build walls in our hearts against God and other people.

Other times we need to gather stones in an effort to patch holes in the walls that separate us from the temptation to sin.

There is a time for everything, a time to do what's needful and necessary.