Vanity: A Study in EcclesiastesSample

What does it say?

Solomon warned of the vanity of loving money as he witnessed the unreliability of wealth. He concluded that the ability to enjoy work and possessions is a gift from God.

What does it mean?

Many believe they will be satisfied once they have accumulated enough wealth, only to find they are still unfulfilled. Having wealth carries no guarantees since riches can slip away at any time. All humanity enters this world empty-handed, and every person will leave in the same way. Solomon recognized God as the one true source of happiness and satisfaction. Why? He realized that contentment in life is a gift from God, enabling a person to enjoy his work and possessions.

How should I respond?

We live in a society that worships wealth. People exhaust themselves to have it all, only to want more. Living for money can cause frustration, illness, and even death. No matter how secure someone believes his wealth to be, financial ruin can happen to anyone at any time. God never intended for us to depend on something so unreliable. How has society influenced the management of your finances? Are you accumulating possessions for greedy purposes, or are you allowing God to lead you? Seeing your work and wealth from God’s perspective will result in God’s gift of contentment.