Up in Smoke

The first reading begins with one of the best-known lines of the Hebrew Scriptures. Next to “For everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” “Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” comes in a close second.

For interest’s sake, the meaning of the word Qoheleth is Preacher. It is interesting to know that the word vanity is not an accurate translation. The word vanity did not mean conceit or being obsessed with one’s appearance. Instead, it might more accurately be translated as smoke or vapor.

Now let’s hear the quote again with that understanding. “Vapor of vapors! All things are vapor.” I will grant you it is not nearly as catchy as “vanity of vanities.” But it conveys a more accurate meaning. All things are like smoke or vapor. They are here one minute and gone into the atmosphere the next. The preacher is trying to convey to the people that nothing is permanent. Nothing that we gather up is forever. Death or loss will come.

The preacher is encouraging the people to seek higher things. Things that will last. He encourages them to seek wisdom, compassion, understanding, and wonder. Those are the things that will last. It is living a life rooted in wisdom that will bring us joy. All else we cling to is no more than smoke. It is here today and gone tomorrow, and all the while, it holds our attention and passion; we are clinging to vapors. That is true emptiness.

As I have written before, I grew up on a family farm. It was a rather large dairy farm with about 200 head of cattle and 1000 acres of land. My maternal grandparents, 2 uncles, 2 cousins, and the five of us in my immediate family lived in the house. As I look back, it was an excellent way to grow up. Aunts, uncles, and cousins lived up and down the same road as we did. 

 In July of 1970, I was going into my freshmen year of high school, and we (my immediate family) were camping. My uncle came to the camp to tell us our home was on fire. It was a substantial old double brick farmhouse. A gas leak developed between the walls, and the simple flip of a light switch caused the house to literally explode. Within 3 hours, our home was gone. Sitting on piles of rubble, the disbelief of knowing all that was – was gone overwhelmed us all. No one was seriously hurt. But everything was gone. And we started over.

After the fire, the most crucial thing that changed was our attitude. We never kept things or put them away to be used for good. Instead, everything in our lives was used. Whether it was an heirloom lamp or the “good” crystal wine glasses and fancy dishes. We learned as a family that all you gathered up and saved for “company” or “for good” could go up in smoke in hours.  

So in our family, we used china plates, crystal glasses, and “the good” silverware every night for dinner. And always cloth tablecloths and cloth napkins were on our table. We even used cloth napkins and real plates for picnics.

We didn’t collect stuff anymore. I know we never really talked about it. But the futility of collecting stuff became a part of our family DNA. Fifty years later, it is still how I live. Nothing is kept for good. And cloth napkins are still always on the table.

What a practical lesson Qoheleth taught and how slow we are to learn. It is the same lesson Jesus taught in the Gospel story today. Why build more barns? Use what you have, and be generous with the surplus. All you thought was a treasure can be gone in the blink of an eye.

If we are to store anything, may it be love, compassion, acceptance, openness, caring, and wisdom. These are the traits of God, and they are only truly saved when given away. Nothing can separate us from God, the only treasure worth keeping.

In God’s Unending Love,

Gwen