A Tragedy?

I have never thought that having lots of money could be considered a "tragedy." In a sense this is not exactly what Solomon is saying, but underneath his rant there is an element of this truth. He claims it is a tragedy to have so much wealth and then not to be able to enjoy it - this I agree with. One would think that 'money can buy happiness' if you treat your wealth with gratitude and respect. Sadly, many people don't.

"There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy." - Ecclesiastes 6:1-2

I wonder if this is Solomon's attempt at teaching an Economics 101 class? If he was trying to pass on his wisdom to the next generation he could open with these words:

"What makes you happy? What would leave you feeling content in life? Are you ever able to enjoy all you have been blessed with?"

“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.” - Pearl S. Buck

Living in Grace

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Slipping through your fingers

"Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!" - Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

I love Solomon's image of money slipping through your fingers. It is such a vivid word picture of how easily money slips from our grasp. And the more we seem to grab for it, the quicker it disappears. 

He touches on something else quite interesting in today's reading - that is the notion of how other people will flock around you in order to help you spend what you have got. This is very true and perhaps explains why many people who win the lottery find they are more depressed afterwards than before their big cash bonanza. The stress of having the money makes them less happy than before.

These are all life lessons that we need to learn along the way. Sadly, we may have to relearn then more than once.

"An investment in knowledge pays the best dividends." - Benjamin Franklin

Living in Grace

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Riches come and go

"Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle." - Proverbs 23:4-5

These words seem strange coming from a man who had so much wealth. Clearly Solomon must have learnt a lot about the fragility of riches and wealth. When you have lots then you have many friends, but when the tough times come, then many people move onto greener pastures. I am sure that it is not just Solomon who came to understand this truth.

Jesus said something very similar:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness. Anne Frank

The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away. Marcus Aurelius

Living in Grace

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Football has lost the plot!

I think Football has just lost the plot! The news that Brazilian footballer Neymar is on his way to Paris Saint German (PSG) from Barcelona for a world record fee of 198 million Pounds is absolutely ludicrous. Don't get me wrong - I am a massive Football fan and take a lot of interest in all things related to Football, but this latest news is quite hard to fathom.

Let me break it down for you: This Football transfer is equal to 3,366 Billion Rand. That is all on 1 player! Neymar will take home around R 8,755 Million per week (before tax), which is a tidy sum for playing soccer.

The reason I am so against all these massive transfers, (even including my own favourite team), is because I think it creates a massive chasm between the ordinary person and these 'football gods!' There is a sense in which Football begins to lose touch with the common person, the roots of the game and essentially LIFE. What reality does one have, when you are forced to struggle to survive on R8 million a week :)

One of the few people who could speak to us about the lure of money and its ultimate impact on our lives is Solomon. After all, he had plenty of it and yet he still felt as if something was missing in his life.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

 

What do you think?

 

Living in Grace

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Who is the wealthiest person in the world?

Socrates – “The wealthiest person is the one who is content with the least.”

I am not sure if this is always true, but the one thing I know is that money doesn't buy happiness.
If we fall into the trap of thinking that 'things' are going to buy us 'wealth' then I urge us to rethink this logic.

No one has ever whispered on their death-bed, "I wish I had more money!" However, I bet there have been plenty of wealthy people who have died thinking, "I wish I had more friends and family right now!"

Worth thinking about.
#justsaying

If you have a moment read Matthew 6:21

Living in Grace
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When is enough ENOUGH? - Lent #21

I was listening to 'Beat the Bank' on East Coast Radio this morning. It is a show where you get an opportunity to open 15 'bank vaults' - each one has a monetary prize inside, but there are some vaults that trigger an alarm system and you lose all your money. It is a game of chance and the more vaults you open the more money you stand to win - and also to lose.

Anyway, I was so impressed with one of the contestants this morning, because after she had won a certain amount of cash, she said, "I have enough thanks" and she walked away with the prize. She could have chanced her arm for another chance, but she was content with what she had. This is an admirable trait to have. Often we think we need more! We are NOT content with what we have and so we desire more and more, until eventually our greed destroys us.

"Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle." - Proverbs 23:4-5

Living in Grace
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