By Dr. Kerry Knight, Emerald Beach Church of Christ
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
Fear God, and keep his commandments,
For this is the whole duty of man.
– Ecclesiastes 12:13
There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning brightly so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast.
One night though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another man needed to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and grant the requests of all.
Toward the end of the month, he noticed his supply of oil was dangerously low. Soon it was gone, and then a crisis struck. One night the light went out. As a result, that evening several ships were wrecked and countless lives were lost. When authorities investigated, the man was very apologetic. He told them he was just trying to be helpful with the oil. Their reply to his excuses, however, was simple and to the point. “You were given oil for ONE purpose and one purpose only.”
In the text above, Solomon reduces our purpose in being a faithful child of God to this: “Fear God, and keep His commandments.” You have a perfect (KALAL) purpose in life, and that is to abide by what He requires of us in the Scriptures.
