The phrase “nothing new” takes on different meanings at different times in life.
In childhood, it represents boredom on a lazy
summer day.
As in “There is nothing new to do.”
In early adulthood, it often represents scarcity.
As in “I can’t afford it. I have bought nothing new for
months.”
In the middle years, it can represent depletion.
As in “Life is consumed with work and family and adult
problems. There is nothing new in my life anymore.”
At all ages, it comes to
represent the mundane. As in “nothing is new for long.” The new car
gets dinged. International travel falls from exciting to tiring.
In later years, it spans the canyon from futility
to wisdom.
As in “There is nothing new under the sun.”
For the author of Ecclesiastes, it was about futility. He
opened his writings pondering that everything in life is futile. What do we
gain for all of our efforts anyway? The sun rises and sets, generations come
and go, yet the earth remains the same and we are never satisfied.
All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye
is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is
what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing
new under the sun. Can one say about anything, “Look, this is new?” It has
already existed in the ages before us. [Ec 1:8-10, CSB]
The futility view of “nothing new” can be a discouraging yet
useful reality check that few things on earth really matter that much in the
end.
But I do not want to miss the wisdom of the “nothing
new” philosophy of life.
It can help us strive less and enjoy more.
It can assure us that someone else has been through our same
problems before, so we are not alone.
It can lower our shock value, knowing humankind has always
been capable of great evil.
It can increase our hope, knowing humankind has always been
capable of great good.
It can tone down our pride, reminding us that we will never
appear in the book of Firsts.
It can keep our focus on heaven more than earth.
He was so right. The sun will see nothing new today. Nothing new
here at all.
