Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 says,...Bible reading, week 4, day 3

Today's verses are Ecclesiastes 5:13-17, which read,

There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun:  wealth kept by its owner to his harm.  That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.  As he came from his mother's womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands.  This too is a sickening tragedy:  exactly as he comes, so he will go.  What does the one gain who struggles for the wind?  What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much frustration, sickness, and anger.

Solomon continues the discussion about wealth and more importantly what we do with the wealth that we have.  God gives us the opportunity and the ability to be productive and that brings to us more than what we need at times.  What does a person do with what is extra?  This is the question and one answer is to keep it for selfish reasons or as the scripture says, "to his harm."  The picture is someone who allows the holding of wealth to become an idol that is harmful because you always loose something when you replace God with a thing.  Solomon then gives us the scenario of harm to this owner.

The one who held the wealth lost it all.  A venture went bad and now he has nothing but wait, a son is born to him and now he has nothing to provide for this responsibility of his.  What Solomon introduces here is the concept of an "another."  What is important when you have a family?  Does this view of wealth change because there are now others involved?  Would that venture have been taken knowing that "another" was coming?  What "god," small "g" is the best "god" to have when it comes to taking care of a family?  The right answer of course is the only "god" who is "God," capital "G" and all that comes with following after Him.  The followers of God are all about "others" and not to "wealth kept" and its harm.

What are some of the harms of making wealth the god of your life?  One could be that you think it is yours.  Another is that if it is yours then you become selfish with it.  Now that you are selfish you look for more ways to increase what you have for your benefit to feed this god and a result is a decrease in your compassion for others.  Now you might take chances with what you think is yours and then a chance is taken that exposes your irresponsibility in face of what is really important, the born son.  Now the regret kicks in with what could have been done with the wealth kept for the "other" that has come into the picture.  That's what "others" do to our benefit for they make us refocus of what is truly lasting and it is not wealth kept but wealth used for God's purposes.

We come into this world with nothing and we will leave this world with nothing but in the "in between" time we have resources given to us by God.  What will we do with them?  Will we use it for the sake of others or will we hoard it for ourselves?  The fear is if we use what we have for others, what about us?  This is where we truly trust the God will provide for His children.  It is not that we would be un-responsible with the resources because in this passage a son is introduced that is a legitimate place to use those God-given resources, namely to care for our physical families.  But those relationships can also be neglected when wealth is kept instead of used with God's principles in place.   

Even though we come in naked and we leave this world naked, we come with nothing and we leave with nothing, what we do with what we have while we are here could be the difference between eating in darkness with frustration, sickness, and anger or sharing in the light with cooperation, health, and joy.  God wants us to have a life that is to our benefit and we receive that when we use this life for the benefits of others.  Maybe a practical application today would be to look for what you can share today with someone else so that you are not holding wealth God has given you.  As always, don't just think in the financial realm but also don't excuse the use of the finances God has given you either.  Let us pray.

"Lord, help us to see if we are holding to tightly to what You have given to us.  Help us to see that we have been given so much from You to use to for those two greatest commandments of loving You and loving others.  Place someone in front of us today to love by opening up our hands or our hearts or our ears to see how You might use it for Your glory.  Amen."

Pastor Adam