Ecclesiastes 9:14 tells a strange little story: "There was a small city, with few men in it, and a great king came against it and surrounded it." What does it mean?

In Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, the rabbis take this verse and run with it. "A small city," they say, "that is the world!" And "with few men in it?" That's the generation of the Flood, the people so wicked that God decided to wipe the slate clean.

And the "great king" who comes against it? That, my friends, is the Holy One, blessed be He.

Powerful stuff, right?

The verse continues: "And built great siege works against it." The rabbis interpret this as God surrounding the world, setting ambushes—and ultimately, inundating everything. The Flood. The ultimate siege.

But there's hope. Ecclesiastes goes on: "A poor and wise man was found in it, and he saved the city in his wisdom." Ah, here's where Noah enters the picture.

Noah, the righteous man in a world of corruption, is the "poor and wise man" who saves the city – saves the world, really – through his wisdom. But how does he do it? Bereshit Rabbah connects this to Genesis 8:20, where Noah "offered up burnt offerings on the altar" after the Flood subsided. This act of devotion, of sacrifice, is what saved the world.

But here's the kicker, the part that really makes you think. The verse concludes: "But no person remembered that poor man." Ouch. After everything Noah did, nobody remembered him? It seems harsh.

According to this midrash, or interpretation, God Himself says, "It is you who do not remember him, but I do remember him.” And that’s why "God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1).

Think about that for a moment. Humanity might be forgetful, ungrateful even. But God remembers. He sees the good, the righteous acts, even when no one else does.

So, what can we take away from this? Maybe it’s this: even when we feel like we’re facing impossible odds, even when the world seems to be against us, a little bit of wisdom, a little bit of faith, can go a long way. And even if our efforts go unnoticed by others, they are never forgotten by the One who truly sees.