Ecclesiastes // Chasing MeaningSample

Michael Norton, a Harvard Business School professor, studied the connection between money and happiness. He asked more than 2,000 people with a net worth of at least $1 million how happy they were and how much money they would need to be “perfectly happy.” Norton said, “All the way up the income-wealth spectrum basically everyone says [they’d need] two or three times as much” money.¹ Solomon reflected on wealth; he observed that people have all they need but never enjoy it.

Ecclesiastes 6:1-2

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.

The Hebrew word translated “there is” is often used in adages to “assert the existence of a particular situation that occurs sometimes.”² It may not be the rule, but still, there are many wealthy people who are not able to enjoy their resources. Maybe illness hits. Or a marriage dissolves. Or kids are estranged. In countries around the world, many must hide their wealth from oppressive rulers. Perhaps Solomon was thinking of someone who hoarded their money and never used it to enjoy life. Maybe Solomon was describing people who never enjoy what they have because they always strive for more. How fortunate is a person with resources? How miserable is the person who can’t enjoy them?

I believe that there are two big takeaways from today’s passage. First, when we mistakenly view our wealth as something we have earned rather than a gift from God, we will never truly be able to enjoy our resources. Our hearts will never be truly satisfied apart from Jesus. Secondly, we need to enjoy the resources God gives us. That enjoyment includes being generous to those around us. Today we can enjoy all that God has provided and give him thanks for his great blessings.

Father, remind us that you are the Owner of all things, and everything we have is a gift from you. Help us enjoy the resources you provide and be generous to those in need. May we always be those who have an eternal perspective with our wealth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.