Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
A wealthy believer never has to downplay God’s blessings. Wealth should be viewed as a reward for honest hard work. A believer should “accept his lot.” Don’t apologize for God’s gift. We should enjoy the vocation he has called us to do and the rewards we achieve for doing it.
Solomon is not trying to leave us hopeless; he’s trying to wake us up. He is not saying that you live a few miserable years and die. God is the giver of life. Jesus said that he came so that we could “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Life on earth matters! What we do counts! What a privilege it is to live for Jesus!
Solomon didn’t take a survey, but as he observed wealthy people, he noticed that some held tight to their money, sharing it with no one. Others squandered their money on risky business schemes. Both left shallow legacies.
This passage drives home two truths about money: The Rockefeller Principle and the Heart Principle. One addresses amounts, and the other addresses our attitude. Let’s look at them one at a time.
When I read Solomon’s statement, “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure…” it makes me pause. That is one audacious statement! Solomon described an unrestrained pursuit of pleasure. Whatever he wanted to have, he took. Whatever he wanted to do, he did. Yes, I realize Solomon may be using hyperbole. But still, this statement puts him as a leading candidate for the Hedonism trophy.
Sexual intimacy is a gift from God. He invented sex and ordained it to be enjoyed between a man and a woman committed to each other for life. God beautifully described this act as a man and woman becoming one—in body and soul. Sex was never meant to be a physical hook up. God intended it to be an experience of the whole person coming together in a loving and intimate union.
Money is a neutral object made of paper and metal and confirmed in bank statements or portfolios. Contrary to the adage, money doesn’t talk…or feel or act. Money is neither good nor bad but can be used in good and bad ways. It’s the “love of money” that is the “root of all kinds of evils” (1 Tim. 6:10).
There is this problem with things—we will never have enough. The desire for possessions is like a mosquito bite. The more you scratch it, the more it itches (Eccl. 5:10). We get pleasure from possessions…for a brief time.
Hoping to find something that would make life worth living, Solomon decides to occupy his mind and time with building projects. His “great works” included great houses. He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars, the Hall of the Throne, the Hall of Judgement, and his own luxurious palace.
Pleasure is a good thing, a great thing. God wired us to enjoy relationships, laugh, and experience life to the fullest. All things are beautiful when experienced the way God intended. But in this fallen world, in this “life under the sun,” we can pervert pleasure into a god, using money, possessions, and experiences to fill our hearts.
Hedonism, mentioned earlier in our study through Ecclesiastes, is a philosophy of life motivated by the desire for pleasure. Hedonism believes that satisfying one’s desires is the highest good and aim of humanity. Hedonism is a life that sprints toward self-gratification. As the old beer commercial said, “You only go around once in life, so grab for all the gusto you can get.”
Laziness is addressed in the New Testament as well. The apostle Paul demonstrated hard work among the Ephesians and explained to the church leaders that wages earned by working hard should be generously shared with those in need. Paul reminded the Ephesians of Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:34-35).