Time and Chance
Things happen to us by chance. It is a common belief to many, but to many Christians, they will say that there is no such thing as chance, saying that it is unbiblical. They would be wrong. The principle of time and chance is in the Bible. Actually, that’s where I got the phrase.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”
I have read or heard very few teachings on this matter, if any at all. But some people will ask, why even teach such a thing, what has anyone to gain with such a teaching. Well, a lot actually, like much encouragement after understanding some facts of life, facts clearly stated in the Bible. This is very true to myself and to a few of my friends whom I have shared this “revelation”. This verse has greatly encouraged me and uplifted me and has given me a key to understanding situations in life, which is why it is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
It says that we do not always get what we deserve, contradicting the common warning, scolding or admonition, “you’ll get what you deserve.” Those who believe in that are often discouraged when bad things go their way; they start thinking that they deserve the hardships they get because they did something wrong or neglected to do something they were supposed to, bringing depression and frustration to those who did not deserve such difficulties. Some people say people get adversities they don’t deserve in order for them to learn, but when the supposed lesson keeps on repeating and repeating itself, the supposed encouragement becomes a condemnation; the person then asks himself, “Why can’t I learn this lesson, so that this problem will also stop repeating.” You see, we keep attributing things that happen to a person to that person, when the truth is, based on the Bible, what could be happening has nothing to do with that person, it just so happened to that person, even if that person doesn’t deserve it. Things just happen.
Thus the verse absolves us from that mentality that says we are experiencing what we are experiencing because it is our fault, or there is a lesson we need to learn, frustrating us if we can’t find the lesson or know that we already know that lesson. It just so happened.
The verse describes the runner who although is the fastest in the race, does not win. Maybe he has the fastest time during the practices. Maybe he really is the fastest among them. But when the race comes, maybe his shoelace becomes untied. Maybe he trips and falls. Maybe it just so happened that he was a bit slower than usual. Maybe it just so happened that the other runners were a bit faster than they ever had only for that one instance. So, it just so happened that the race did not go to the swift. We have also seen that the wise or the brilliant do not become wealthy, sometimes not even able to get enough food for their family’s plate, while others less capable become filthy rich. We have seen less intelligent classmates get promoted to much higher positions. All stated in the verse.
Thus, we can stop being discouraged when we find out that our former classmates who were much less capable than us are getting much higher salaries, or have better careers. It may not be your fault. Maybe they have more connections than you do. Maybe it just so happened that an opportunity passed them by that did not pass you by. I have a former high school classmate who won as councilor in our city, by image, publicity and political affiliation, even though he was in the bottom of our batch (he never even graduated from our school, he had to transfer to another high school because he was no longer accepted in our school before our fourth year. Read my other article, “Campaign Strategies and Traditional Politicking”.) I have a lot of former college classmates who hardly did well in class but now have higher salaries than those who have more capability but are still struggling with their careers or finances. It’s all time and chance. It just so happened.
Since we know this, we can stop feeling inadequate. Success can often be by time and chance and does not necessarily elude you because of personal flaws. It just so happened. So just enjoy what you have because it’s all you can do. “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24.The key word here is contentment. It will only frustrate or discourage you to ponder why you have this while others have better. It just so happened. Be content. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Ecclesiastes 9:11 also keeps the successful humble. Man has the tendency to take pride in his achievements, thinking he was able to do such great accomplishments because he deserves it, not taking into account that the only reason he was able to accomplish so is because of time and chance. It just so happened that God sent opportunities and resources for him to achieve them; had somebody else been in that situation, somebody else would have accomplished it, it just so happened that time and chance came his way, so he should simply be thankful to God for the great opportunity and the ride of a lifetime God took Him.
I was eliminated fourth out of eight contestants from the quiz show “The Weakest Link” (episode 94, Philippine edition). Does it automatically mean the four other contestants that eliminated me were more intelligent than I am? Not necessarily. Some of them said during and after the show that I posed a great threat since I made no mistake during auditions, rehearsals, and only three in the actual game, one said on the air that he considered me the strongest, and the host said on the air that I had a good showing in the early rounds, and said surprisingly I was the weakest link (I was very happy when he said the word “surprisingly”) apart from other encouraging remarks he said to me after the game. So why was I voted out? It just so happened that more difficult questions were thrown at me as compared to the others. (My question was “what year was the freedom constitution written”, the next contestant’s question was “what letter appears on Superman’s chest.”) Had I been asked different questions, I would not have been voted off in the fourth round. But that’s time and chance for you. And I am not displeased with the whole thing.
One may conclude from all of this that life is unfair, if all of this is true. Well, that would be correct. Life is unfair. Then again, who said it would be? The Bible does not say life is fair. And we can thank God for that! Otherwise, if we were to get what we deserved, we’d all be going to hell! (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23; read also my other article, “Grace, Mercy and Justice”) So it all evens out once you think about it. Ultimately, it favors those that love God.
So does it ultimately mean we should just stop trying and do nothing and just wait for time and chance to go our way? Of course not. Ecclesiastes 11:6 says “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” Time and chance ultimately makes you try harder to do and be more (while at the same time being content with your current situation, now understanding how it really is), since showing that you deserve it does not necessarily mean you will get it, it is better that you plant more seed, since you do not know which among them will actually succeed. So work, invest, try, but at the same time be content and happy with you current situation, and maybe when time and chance comes, whether you deserve it or not, it just so happened that the opportunity came your way, you will finally get it, then all you can do is be humbled by such a blessing from God.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2004, May 22, 8:40 pm)
Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”
I have read or heard very few teachings on this matter, if any at all. But some people will ask, why even teach such a thing, what has anyone to gain with such a teaching. Well, a lot actually, like much encouragement after understanding some facts of life, facts clearly stated in the Bible. This is very true to myself and to a few of my friends whom I have shared this “revelation”. This verse has greatly encouraged me and uplifted me and has given me a key to understanding situations in life, which is why it is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
It says that we do not always get what we deserve, contradicting the common warning, scolding or admonition, “you’ll get what you deserve.” Those who believe in that are often discouraged when bad things go their way; they start thinking that they deserve the hardships they get because they did something wrong or neglected to do something they were supposed to, bringing depression and frustration to those who did not deserve such difficulties. Some people say people get adversities they don’t deserve in order for them to learn, but when the supposed lesson keeps on repeating and repeating itself, the supposed encouragement becomes a condemnation; the person then asks himself, “Why can’t I learn this lesson, so that this problem will also stop repeating.” You see, we keep attributing things that happen to a person to that person, when the truth is, based on the Bible, what could be happening has nothing to do with that person, it just so happened to that person, even if that person doesn’t deserve it. Things just happen.
Thus the verse absolves us from that mentality that says we are experiencing what we are experiencing because it is our fault, or there is a lesson we need to learn, frustrating us if we can’t find the lesson or know that we already know that lesson. It just so happened.
The verse describes the runner who although is the fastest in the race, does not win. Maybe he has the fastest time during the practices. Maybe he really is the fastest among them. But when the race comes, maybe his shoelace becomes untied. Maybe he trips and falls. Maybe it just so happened that he was a bit slower than usual. Maybe it just so happened that the other runners were a bit faster than they ever had only for that one instance. So, it just so happened that the race did not go to the swift. We have also seen that the wise or the brilliant do not become wealthy, sometimes not even able to get enough food for their family’s plate, while others less capable become filthy rich. We have seen less intelligent classmates get promoted to much higher positions. All stated in the verse.
Thus, we can stop being discouraged when we find out that our former classmates who were much less capable than us are getting much higher salaries, or have better careers. It may not be your fault. Maybe they have more connections than you do. Maybe it just so happened that an opportunity passed them by that did not pass you by. I have a former high school classmate who won as councilor in our city, by image, publicity and political affiliation, even though he was in the bottom of our batch (he never even graduated from our school, he had to transfer to another high school because he was no longer accepted in our school before our fourth year. Read my other article, “Campaign Strategies and Traditional Politicking”.) I have a lot of former college classmates who hardly did well in class but now have higher salaries than those who have more capability but are still struggling with their careers or finances. It’s all time and chance. It just so happened.
Since we know this, we can stop feeling inadequate. Success can often be by time and chance and does not necessarily elude you because of personal flaws. It just so happened. So just enjoy what you have because it’s all you can do. “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24.The key word here is contentment. It will only frustrate or discourage you to ponder why you have this while others have better. It just so happened. Be content. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Ecclesiastes 9:11 also keeps the successful humble. Man has the tendency to take pride in his achievements, thinking he was able to do such great accomplishments because he deserves it, not taking into account that the only reason he was able to accomplish so is because of time and chance. It just so happened that God sent opportunities and resources for him to achieve them; had somebody else been in that situation, somebody else would have accomplished it, it just so happened that time and chance came his way, so he should simply be thankful to God for the great opportunity and the ride of a lifetime God took Him.
I was eliminated fourth out of eight contestants from the quiz show “The Weakest Link” (episode 94, Philippine edition). Does it automatically mean the four other contestants that eliminated me were more intelligent than I am? Not necessarily. Some of them said during and after the show that I posed a great threat since I made no mistake during auditions, rehearsals, and only three in the actual game, one said on the air that he considered me the strongest, and the host said on the air that I had a good showing in the early rounds, and said surprisingly I was the weakest link (I was very happy when he said the word “surprisingly”) apart from other encouraging remarks he said to me after the game. So why was I voted out? It just so happened that more difficult questions were thrown at me as compared to the others. (My question was “what year was the freedom constitution written”, the next contestant’s question was “what letter appears on Superman’s chest.”) Had I been asked different questions, I would not have been voted off in the fourth round. But that’s time and chance for you. And I am not displeased with the whole thing.
One may conclude from all of this that life is unfair, if all of this is true. Well, that would be correct. Life is unfair. Then again, who said it would be? The Bible does not say life is fair. And we can thank God for that! Otherwise, if we were to get what we deserved, we’d all be going to hell! (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23; read also my other article, “Grace, Mercy and Justice”) So it all evens out once you think about it. Ultimately, it favors those that love God.
So does it ultimately mean we should just stop trying and do nothing and just wait for time and chance to go our way? Of course not. Ecclesiastes 11:6 says “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” Time and chance ultimately makes you try harder to do and be more (while at the same time being content with your current situation, now understanding how it really is), since showing that you deserve it does not necessarily mean you will get it, it is better that you plant more seed, since you do not know which among them will actually succeed. So work, invest, try, but at the same time be content and happy with you current situation, and maybe when time and chance comes, whether you deserve it or not, it just so happened that the opportunity came your way, you will finally get it, then all you can do is be humbled by such a blessing from God.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2004, May 22, 8:40 pm)
