Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 (Devotion)

THE VANITY OF WEALTH AND HONOR (Part #1) - "If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."

One day we will all give an account. Whether upon our death bed or within the hierarchical constructs of order and justice God allows throughout society, the truth that we must answer for who we are and what we have done is inevitable. Solomon begins this passage by reminding us that no matter whether those in place of power are righteous or evil, there is a higher authority that will ensure justice is served at some point. But no sooner does he address the issue of oppression and justice, the issue of wealth takes center stage. Money is a sensitive issue to one degree or another for most people. Our world idolizes wealth in many ways, tempting us to place our identity in material possessions that fade rather than our identity in Christ which is eternal. That is why Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). The idea of a treasure that cannot be measured monetarily is hard for many to wrap their minds around, but that is the beauty of our Christian faith. Our standard is not of this world. We know as Solomon pointedly articulates that from dust we were once formed and to dust we will return. Therefore, what monetary wealth we have accumulated in the time allotted to us by God is of no value whatsoever to our eternal destination. In truth, our wealth is more apt a stumbling block and tempestuous hindrance to our spiritual faith walk. It tempts us to place faith in our materialistic abundance than trust in God to provide for our needs. Again, that is why Jesus concluded his teaching on treasure with the statement: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24).

The more glaring issue as it relates to God and money is to what degree we are enslaved. Debt is obviously our enemy to avoid at all cost (pardon the pun), yet the majority of us are comfortable with being indebted in some form or fashion, whether wise or unwise (i.e. credit cards, car loans, mortgages, etc.) This should compel us to introspectively ask ourselves the following questions though to ensure our financial obligations as Christians are prioritized over discretionary spending:

• Does my monthly income exceed my monthly total of bills? 
• Do I maintain a healthy savings account of at least 3x my monthly income?
• Do I provide necessary medical, dental and vision insurance coverage for my immediate family? 
• Do I provide life insurance coverage for both myself and my loved ones in the event of death?
• Am I tithing to the local church body for the needs of my faith community?
• Am I seeking opportunities to partner with missionaries and missionary organizations for the advancement of the Gospel throughout the world?
• Am I sharing my abundance with the poor and widowed?
• Am I considering child sponsorship or adoption in order to provide for the basic survival needs of children throughout the world?
• Am I obedient to share whatever abundance I have with anyone who asks for my help?

These questions are simply a starting point to elevate our perspective of wealth from something I work toward for my own selfish gain and pleasure, to a tool of responsibility given by God for me to provide and bless others with. Keep in mind, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). The responsibility of provision is a serious charge every man must not ignore or halfheartedly apply in his life. God will judge such behavior with swift vengeance. Therefore, we ought not to feel guilty for ensuring the needs of our immediate families are met because it is our responsibility to provide food, shelter, etc., according to the Lord's instruction. Where we tend to get in trouble is when we confuse wants with needs. Things that are truly discretionary become mandatory, and we begin to live our lives with stress, anxiety and clenched fists as we work to attain more wealth to feed our insatiable appetites. Perhaps that is why Jesus encouraged His brethren by saying, "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Matthew 6:26-29).

The vanity of wealth and honor is simply being so consumed by riches that it becomes a stronghold around our hearts, restricting the Spirit's conviction which seeks to set us free from our bondage. Because God loves us, He gave us free will to choose whether we will be enslaved by the desires of our flesh or submit and obey His absolute truth and authority. Therefore, we have a choice. We can choose to be controlled by wealth and honor or led by the Spirit, for the mind set on the things of this world lacks spiritual perspective. Consider this parable: "And he (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21). Did Jesus say that money is evil? No. But what Jesus is teaching is that self-preservation at the expense of all others is foolish. The desire for comfort cannot squeeze God out of the equation, for the Lord is the reason why those of us who are blessed with wealth and honor have what we have. It is not because of our personal will power and strength that we have attained prosperity. Only God is the reason why the works of our hands have elicited a harvest of blessing.

In the end, Solomon is correct in his assessment that he who loves money will never be satisfied. Why? Because it is an issue of worship in its purest form. Before Jesus spoke the parable of the rich fool He said, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). What Jesus focused His attention on was the idol that resides in man's heart which looks around and confuses want with need, for the beauty, shine, glitz and glamour of the world becomes the desire our hearts covet. In turn, what we want becomes a must-have need, and our trust shifts from God's provision to what we assume we are accomplishing in our own strength. Therefore, we simply cannot elevate money to the point where it becomes an idol in our hearts. The risk is far too great. We are far better served to apply the wisdom of Scripture which declares, "But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Perhaps after we have applied this teaching, we will understand what is truly important and focus the majority of our time and attention toward things that produces spiritual dividends, rather than that which fades away and carries no eternal value whatsoever.