4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

5 The fool folds his hands
and consumes his own flesh.
6 Better one handful with tranquility
than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

7 Again, I saw futility under the sun. 8 There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. 14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.

15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king. 16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Tim Mitry

Have you seen those ads that say, “Do this to retire at 40,” or “Do these 5 simple steps to make your money work for you”? You know – the ad that promises never having to work again? At the same time, have you ever noticed that in Australia we subtly boast about doing extra hours or overtime? Our culture has a foot in two camps – we love the idea of never working another day in our life, but we also love to proudly show off how hard we work. We like to make sure we “keep up with the Joneses,” after all.

I’ve felt the pull of both of these. I’ve yearned to have 5 investment properties and be able to tell my boss, “Hey I’m not coming in tomorrow…or ever again,”, but I’ve also heard that voice inside me say, “Keep grinding the billable hours, my mates have been to Japan twice and I’ve only gone once.”

Verses 4-6 of today’s passage are pointing out that working to keep pace with the rest of society is just as empty as refusing to work at all – both are like chasing the wind. The “grind life” is nothing to brag about, but neither is disengaging from “the grind” altogether.

Many of my friends are building businesses, travelling overseas regularly, buying homes and investment properties, and filling their lives with bigger and shinier things. The author of Ecclesiastes reminds me that a peaceful life with enough is better than a life driven by endless striving for more. I am challenged to see that God created me to work – it is good for me to work! But if I worship work, or worship what it can do for me, I’ll be enslaved to it. Praise God for Jesus who offers true, lasting satisfaction, and frees me to work faithfully and contentedly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim is one of our ministry apprentices.