Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2

- MSG v2 What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane!
My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?

- NKJV v11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.

- MSG v13-14 But I did see that it's better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness. Even so, though the smart ones see where they're going and the stupid ones grope in the dark, they're all the same in the end. One fate for all—and that's it.

- MSG v15-16 When I realized that my fate's the same as the fool's, I had to ask myself, "So why bother being wise?" It's all smoke, nothing but smoke. The smart and the stupid both disappear out of sight. In a day or two they're both forgotten. Yes, both the smart and the stupid die, and that's it.

- MSG v24-26 The best you can do with your life is have a good time and get by the best you can. The way I see it, that's it—divine fate. Whether we feast or fast, it's up to God. God may give wisdom and knowledge and joy to his favorites, but sinners are assigned a life of hard labor, and end up turning their wages over to God's favorites. Nothing but smoke—and spitting into the wind.

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The main reason why I ask God for wisdom is because I cannot stand seeing the people of the world doing better than Christians. Why are they the ones cutting the big deals, knowing all the intricacies of the business and financial world, driving the biggest cars, and even though they might not know they are going to hell, they're having the time of their lives right here right now.

I've asked God the same qn before - some Christians just go through life harmless as sheep, not knowing anything about the world, and yet they are blessed as much as me! So why bother asking for wisdom, working so hard, and at the end of the day, we both go to heaven anyway!

But despite this, Solomon says it is better to be smart than stupid. So what's the catch?

Joyce Meyer says about verse 24, that "there is nothing better than enjoying what we do. Are you enjoying what you do or are you tired, weary and bored? Ask God to refresh you and enable you to enjoy your work."

At work and serving, sometimes I also feel discouraged that I put in so much effort into a project, at in the end, management or leadership pulls the plug on it, or massive changes come in later on that annuls everything that I've done thus far. Then why bother trying so hard?

I think the two-prong approach to resolving this dilemma is to work smart (wisdom) and to enjoy every moment doing what you do. And at the end of the day, the Christian life is a life of receiving. When you are blessed, remember that God gives you the power to get wealth. But at the same time, be humble to receive the spoils when it is turned over to us by those who strive and sweat.