Ecclesiastes 2:17-20,  So I came to hate life, because the activities done under the sun were loathsome to me, since everything is meaningless and feeding on wind.  I hated all the things for which I had worked under the sun, because I saw that I would have to leave them to the man who will come after me.  Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?  Yet he will have control over all the things I worked for and which demonstrated how wise I am under the sun.  This too is pointless.  Thus I came to despair over all the things I worked for under the sun.

So, clearly, Solomon was having a bad day… But there’s so much to gain from what he had to say in Ecclesiastes!  He was wise beyond anything anyone else has ever experienced, he had wealth beyond our comprehension, influence, power, and more women than any man with that wisdom should have ever thought was a good idea!  (Clearly, some of those women got on his nerves ~ he mentions a “nagging wife” several times in Proverbs).   And yet here he was thinking about how pointless it all was… everything was like a breath here on earth compared to eternity.  His wisdom finally brought him to the point of recognizing that all of those things were meaningless by themselves.

I don’t know what it is like where you live, but I have learned a lot here in Tennessee that applies to the entire U.S. and I am certain the world.  We have a couple of counties here in the area where we live that pretty much overlap each other.  There’s even an apartment complex that is half in one and half in the other so just imagine the confusion when it came to drawing those school districts out!  BUT, while I had known that for years and I have heard people talking about how “everyone in that county just thinks they are better”, I never fully grasped the difference until I moved from “that” county to the other.  I LOVED it!!  The county that seems to have a negative name for some unknown reason was fantastic!  People were friendly and there was no push, push, push to “keep up” with anyone or anything, it was also like life just slowed down and I could relax.  I couldn’t care less if someone thinks they are somehow better because they have something that is newer or better or …. whatever, there’s always going t be someone out there with something better so where exactly does that mindset end?  It’s not worth it!  Let those thoughts go and realize that it is all temporary!  

SO ~ NOW, here’s what we can take away where are you in all of this?  Trust me, I think it is great for Christians to use their God-given talents to make money ~ a lot of money if God opens that door and gives them that ability! The Bible is clear about the fact that we are called to work hard and to do everything as though God is our “boss” and we are working for Him!  Some people are called to make a lot of money but it doesn’t end there.  Whether you have a lot of money or you live paycheck to paycheck isn’t what matters.  What matters is ~ what are you doing with your life?  What is your focus?  No matter what our “position” is in life and no matter what you feel called to do, stay at home and take care of your children, teach, clean, work your own business, preach, waitress, drive a truck, be the CEO of a company, be the President of the United States ~ whatever it may be that you do, your main focus must be God!  Allowing Him to guide you will save you a lot of grief and you will accomplish more for Him.  As King Solomon came to understand ~ this life is short and no matter what you accumulate or don’t accumulate here on earth is a very small matter in light of eternity!  Do the people you come in contact with on a regular basis know God?  Do you have a list of people that you pray for so they will come t know Him?  Have you told them about Him and what He has done in your life?  Sad to say I have been around people who talk a good talk but once I got to know them I realized that they don’t know Him at all, nor do they wish to ~ that is why the Bible says that there are people who will stand face to face with God one day saying “but I even cast demons out in your name” and God will say, “Get out of my presence, I don’t know you.”  All of the money in the world, or fame and success aren’t worth that!  

So Solomon closed with this:  Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14, “Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything:  fear God, and keep His commandments; this is what being human is all about.  For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad.”  That’s IT!  That is our purpose to bring everything we do to Him and for Him and then you can enjoy life knowing that it isn’t for nothing.  Think for a moment about how truly short life on Earth is compared to all of eternity!  It isn’t really even a drop in the bucket!  I would love to encourage you to ask God what His dreams are for your life.  Ask Him if there’s something you are missing or maybe doing that is in the way of what He has for you to do!  Pursue Him and make sure that you share Him with those around you.  You have the answers they need and they are looking for answers everywhere so ask God to give you a passion to reach people!  Each and every one of us has a purpose and it is to serve God in whatever capacity He gives us to do it.   You will find and know what that purpose is when you find that thing that just stirs a passion and fire in you like nothing else ~ God didn’t give you a purpose that will make you miserable.  Pursue Him with your whole heart ~ yes, start today and then you will find that truly His best is yet to come!

Quote:  “All that we Love deeply becomes a part of us.”  Helen Keller