• Espñol: Lo que significa arrojar tu pan sobre el agua

This past summer, I planned a walk with friends around a beautiful lake in the center of our city. At one point in our journey, we stopped at a quiet little spot along the edge, took our bread crumbs and threw them upon the water and watched them float away.

We were symbolically fulfilling the words King Solomon wrote:

“Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight, for you know not what evil may come upon the earth.” (Ecclesiastes 11: 1–2 AMP)

Commentators believe Solomon was referring to ships he sent out full of goods to trade with other nations and they would return filled with treasure.

During their journey they would encounter prevailing winds, massive storms with surging waves crashing over their small wooden hulls. But they would battle through. They would be gone for days, even weeks, and when they returned home they were laden with valuable merchandise.

He was describing an investment that will come back to us particularly in troubled times therefore we are not to withhold giving of ourselves, our gifts, talents and resources.

King Solomon was referring to a person being faithful, steadfast, and persevering even in the mundane and routine activities of daily life or during the difficult hours.

We have to be practical. Bad things happen. We can’t change people. We can’t change our circumstances. We can’t change what has happened.

It is what it is!

All we can control is our response to them.

Despite the evil and unexpected circumstances that come, Solomon says we must CARRY ON!

“He who observes the wind (and waits for all the conditions to be favorable) will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 AMP)

We must not allow our spiritual atmosphere (rejection, unforgiveness) or unexpected events in the physical realm (job loss, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes) to create fear and stop us from fulfilling our purpose each and every day.

Sometimes we interpret resistance as a sign we should stop.  Solomon writes about storms causing trees to come crashing down (Ecclesiastes 11:3). When we come across giant logs blocking our path, do we turn back or do we go around and continue pressing ahead?

Our circumstances may look bleak today, but they are not a sign of what God is doing in the spiritual realm or an indicator of the future.

We MUST be careful not to interpret natural events as a sign of what will happen — LEST WE END UP DOING NOTHING.

“In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good”  (Ecclesiastes 11:6)

Solomon is saying that our present circumstances are not a correct interpretation of the future and we should not allow fear to stop us.

Be faithful, and steadfast in giving of yourself and your resources.  Don’t allow the clouds of fear, rain of rejection and pre-eminent signs of the times keep you from carrying out your physical and spiritual responsibilities.

Cast your bread upon the waters without reservation knowing that God is faithful and in due time your investment will return.

–EZ