Ecclesiastes 6

“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men…” (Ecclesiastes 6:1, NKJV)

In the first few verses of chapter six, Solomon considers the person who has wealth and honor so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, and yet he does not have the capacity to enjoy what he has. In the end, a stranger enjoys his wealth instead of him. This is vanity and an evil affliction. According to Solomon, a stillborn child is better off than him.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17, NLT)

Not everyone has the problem of being rich in this world, but some have been blessed well beyond what they need. Their trust should never be in their money or material possessions, for these are so uncertain and temporary. Rather, they should trust wholeheartedly in the Lord who graciously gives us everything for our enjoyment. Rather than striving for more and more, they should learn the secret of contentment. We ought to rejoice in the Lord whether we possess much or little. As Paul told the Philippians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

“Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:18–19, NKJV)

This is the greatest use of this world’s goods, for truly it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Rather than being plagued by the disease of discontent, we can enjoy to the fullest whatever God has given us by freely sharing it with others. In this way we make friends on earth now and lay up treasures in heaven for later. Besides, the way to receive more with God’s favor is to give away what we have (Luke 6:38).

We may never receive such riches and honor as Solomon describes, but we can all choose to value contentment, enjoyment of God’s blessings, and generous giving to others. These are the things that God esteems, and they enrich our lives and the lives of those we touch!