Confessions of a Church: Shadow Men

The Psalm writer wrote:  Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received.   This is the word of God.  It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  

Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men— 2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5 It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he. 6 Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things—do not all go to one place?” 7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind. 10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

This is the word of the LORD.

Recently I observed two men, both advanced in years. One man living an extremely lavish, affluent, wealthy life. The other, a typical Middle- American existence lived on the heels of the once dominant   now declining western civilization. Outside of their age, these two men would likely have very little in common. One is accustomed to fine food, social events, board meetings, and a luxurious, pampered lifestyle. The other had lived much of his life working with his hands, hunting with his beagles, and in his advanced years was left hobbling around on a busted foot.

So different, yet upon a closer examination, very much alike.

What struck me about both of these men was in how, despite their very different paths towards this stage of life, they now seemed to be sitting in the same seat.

Both seemed resigned to a few meager activities which likely occupied most of their days: watching TV, lounging around, snacking and reading the newspaper. There didn't seem to be any battles to be fought, no hills to climb. Only ease, leisure, and riding quietly into the sunset, simply fading away. Clearly, there is nothing wrong with any of these activities in moderation, but a question does arise: is this all there is?

Is this what awaits both the rich and the poor man, to be reduced to a life of irrelevant, meaningless activity, biding our time till the day we die, living as vapors?

Solomon seemed to think that the answer was yes:

For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow.

Think for a moment about the impact a shadow has on the world around it. It is weightless and without substance.  A shadow takes the shape of the thing which is between it and the source of light. A shadow is immaterial, cannot be felt, grasped and has no discernible impact on the physical world.

Now consider man. What would it look like for a man to live out his life as a shadow?

What you would have is a man with no gravitas. Weightless.

An unserious man who leaves little impression on the world around him.

A shadow man is one who lives out his existence in a shallow, uninspiring, purposeless way.  A shadow man will be shaped by that which stands between him and God. For instance, whatever their favorite idol is, that is the shape which will characterize them. Mouths but no speaking, ears but no hearing, eyes but no seeing.

This brothers and sisters, is the life of a man, woman, boy, or girl, being lived as a shadow. A life void of any purpose or reason, except to eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.

A life of futility, seeking only to satisfy the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. A vain existence being lived out in the sunshine provided by God, while kneeling down behind the idols of your heart. Thus, you become just like the thing you worship.

While there are dragons to slay, temptations to crush, sin to kill, lost sheep to find, wounded sinners to heal with the balm of the gospel, and a stand to be taken, shadow men, women, boys, and girls are busy playing make believe, as if there is no war, no conflict.

Shadow men see the collapse of our society, and rather than dig in their heels and "Stand therefore", they flee to the hills to be left alone and wait things out.

Rather than taking dominion with the authority God has granted them in the home to be helpers and keepers, shadow women throw up their hands, say "oh woe is me", and their homes wind up crumbling by their own hands as they spend their days on vain pursuits like social media, gossip, worry and longing for what once was.

Shadow children become what their favorite idols have designed for them: distracted, unsatisfied, disobedient to parents, and longing for a Peter Pan existence. Not realizing that the years of their youth are meant to prepare them for a long drawn out war, children grow up not knowing how to fight, how to argue, how to discern the truth from a half truth or flat out lie. So they wind up easily deceived.

Jesus was no shadow man. He is the Light of the World, yet the world loves the darkness rather than the light and will not come into the light for fear that it's evil will be exposed.

But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

— John 3:21

Dear Saint, do not walk in the darkness, living your life as a shadow: repent of your sins, and come into the light.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.”

          Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

— Ephesians 5:6-17

What area of your life are you living as a shadow? How are you using the gifts and talents God has blessed you with for the advancement of His Kingdom? Do you display the light of Christ for all in the room to see, or place it under a shade to instead live in the shadows?

If you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins to the Father, Who is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins thanks to the shed blood of His Son.

Heavenly Father,

Your Word calls us to live under the shadow of Your wing, being conformed to Your image, yet far too often we find ourselves living as a mere shadow, looking more like our idols than You.

Father, because our frames are weak, we believe we are entitled to an easy path, free from conflict, heartache, and striving. In our pursuit of peace and ease at all cost, we wind up living as a shadow, with no discernible effect on the world around us.

To simply fade into the background, we yell "peace, peace!", where none exists.

We compromise with the truth because to take a stand will cause division.

We become shells of men, being led along by our flesh, the devil, and the whims of the world.

Father, please forgive us for this display of lack of faith in Your Son. Please forgive us for our lack of appetite for the battles before us, and fill us with Your Spirit.

Please grant us courage, resolve, strength and endurance to run the race set before us, for Your glory alone.

In Jesus's Name we pray, Amen.

(From the 08/01/2021 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)