Ecclesiastes 5:13-20 (For the Love of Money, Part 2)

¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
¹⁴   or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
¹⁵ Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands.

¹⁶ This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,
    and what do they gain,
    since they toil for the wind?
¹⁷ All their days they eat in darkness,
    with great frustration, affliction and anger.

¹⁸ This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Few of us know how to handle lots of money.  Think about the man who wins the lottery, but is bankrupt a few years later and worse off than before.  Think of the entertainers who make millions just to spend it all away.  And I think of myself when I get $20 from someone for my birthday -- it's often gone in a matter of 24 hours!

So, I like the honesty of verse 13, "wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners."  Let's be sure: wealth can cause great harm to us.  Hoarding doesn't mean that you aren't spending it -- it just means you aren't sharing it.  It's nothing new, apparently, that people like to hoard their money, and it's also not surprising to God that when we do this, we can be harmed. 

People can be killed because of their money.  They might lose family relationships because of their money and their decisions with that money.  They might become addicted to substances because of their money.  Or they might become the most lonely they've ever been because of their money.

Life can be so much more simple without lots of money.  Sure you can pay all your bills on time, but that might be the single great thing about it.

Have you ever considered that one of God's great mercies to you is He restricts the amount of money you can make?

So, now what if God has given you some money.  Well, here's what Solomon says:

¹⁸ This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

No matter how much money we have, we need to work and we need to enjoy what we have!  Enjoy today rather than being concerned about the future.  Do the work God has given you to do, and then come home and spend time with your family, have a nice meal on the back porch together, go buy some frozen yogurt afterwards, and enjoy what God has given you.  Don't hoard it -- share it!  Be thankful and content, and no matter how much you have, God will keep you so busy being glad that you won't have time to look back on what it used to be or on what's to come.




Molly Monroe