Text: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20
10 Anyone who loves money is never satisfied with money, and anyone who loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is vanishing vapor.
11 When goods increase, so do those who eat them. What profit, then, does the owner get, except to see these things with his eyes?
12 The worker’s sleep is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but a rich person’s abundant possessions allow him no sleep.
13 I have seen a sickening evil under the sun―wealth hoarded by its owner to his own harm, 14 or wealth that is lost in a bad investment. Or a man fathers a son, but he has nothing left in his hand to give him. 15 As he came out from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came. From his hard work he can pick up nothing that he can carry away in his hand. 16 This too is a sickening evil: Just as he came, so he will go. So what does he gain, he who works for the wind? 17 Besides this, during all his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.
18 So then, here is what I have seen to be good: It is beautiful to eat, to drink, and to look for good in all a person’s hard work which he has done under the sun, during the few days of his life that God has given him, for that is his reward. 19Likewise, for everyone to whom God has given wealth and riches, if God has also given him ability to eat from it, to enjoy his reward, and to rejoice in the results of his hard work―this is a gift of God, 20for the man seldom reflects on the days of his life, since God keeps him busy with the joy in his heart.
Sermon
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:2)
How do you respond when someone asks you, “How are you doing?” The other day I asked one of our WLS teachers that question, she replied, “Not well.” She went home sick from school 10 minutes later. One of the pastors I know, Pastor Peters, always replies, “I’m living the dream.” If you ask me how I’m doing, I almost always answer, “Fantastic!” Perhaps you’re like most people and reply, “Good.” “Fine.” “OK.” … Or, “Meh.”
M-E-H. It’s a sound that became a word. It doesn’t mean sad. It doesn’t mean grief-stricken or depressed. It just means there’s no spark. There’s no pizzazz. There’s no joy. It’s just meh.
Is that how you might describe your effort at work, at home, in the classroom, on the athletic field … in life? Meh?
Imagine someone in the royal palace in Jerusalem asking King Solomon three thousand years ago, “Hey, King. How are you doing?” Solomon answers, “Meh.” Except his word would have been “hevel.” Hevel is the Hebrew word for “vapor.” “How are things going,” someone asks Solomon, and he says, “Nothing but vapor. Totally vapor. Everything is just vapor that vanishes” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). That’s the second verse of Ecclesiastes chapter one. Then Solomon, who is the author of Ecclesiastes, goes on for another 12 chapters mentioning vapor 35 times.
Our Old Testament lesson comes from the middle of Solomon’s speech. Let’s examine his words verse by verse. We’ll discover how “meh” Solomon feels about work.
“Anyone who loves money is never satisfied with money, and anyone who loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is vanishing vapor.” America’s first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller was once asked how much money was enough. He famously replied, “Just a little more.” You don’t have to be a wealthy individual like Rockefeller or Solomon to have this attitude. If we love money and wealth, we will never be satisfied with our money or wealth. The homeless person desires a better shopping cart or park bench. We will desire a bigger raise, a better neighborhood, or a newer car. If we live according to what our sinful flesh wants, whatever we have will never be enough. It’s like vanishing vapor.
“When goods increase, so do those who eat them. What profit, then, does the owner get, except to see these things with his eyes?” It’s common to believe that the more we have the happier we’ll be. But many people have their house, garage, yard, maybe even a storage shed filled with stuff – all collecting dust. Does that “stuff” make us any happier? Our contentment vanishes like vapor. If we base our happiness on stuff, the best we’ll feel is meh.
“The worker’s sleep is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but a rich person’s abundant possessions allow him no sleep.” When we cram our bellies with food while binge-watching our TV shows, we are left feeling bloated and lethargic. Then it can be difficult to sleep. Solomon knew the wisdom and benefit of healthy eating and exercising. That combination will often bring a restful night’s sleep. That’s a good recipe for not feeling meh.
“I have seen a sickening evil under the sun―wealth hoarded by its owner to his own harm, or wealth that is lost in a bad investment. Or a man fathers a son, but he has nothing left in his hand to give him.” We work valiantly to be able to retire comfortably and leave an inheritance to our family. But Solomon reminds us that our futures and fortunes can be lost through a moment of misfortune – a long illness, a stock market crash, a failed pension fund, a natural disaster, an expensive nursing home – and the nest egg is wiped out. We are left with as little at the end of our life that we had at the beginning of our life. “As he came out from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came.”
Solomon ends with this dark expectation. “Just as he came, so he will go. So what does he gain, he who works for the wind? Besides this, during all his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.” If we are attempting to find safety, security, and satisfaction in our wealth, or peace and contentment in our possessions, or happiness and joy in our stuff, it’s all futile. It’s like trying to catch the wind.
I know how busy you are. You put in long hours at work. You have your kids involved in so many activities. You are trying to cram everything you can into every day. And how do you feel? Happy? Content? At peace? … Or are you feeling meh?
The first verses of Ecclesiastes 5 is a stark reminder for us about how everything we try to fill up our lives with won’t bring happiness, joy, or peace. The things of this world don’t last. They are vapor. Meaningless. Meh.
So what’s the answer to our feelings of meh? Jesus. Jesus is always the answer, right?
But how does Jesus affect our attitude at work? Our efforts in the classroom? Our activities in our calendar? Isn’t Jesus about the next life? What does Jesus have to do with this life?
We rightly believe that Jesus will take us from this world to a better place in heaven. There we will be eternally in God’s presence. Jesus Christ did the hard work of leaving his throne room in heaven to be born in a manger. He did the hard work of being baptized for our sins and going into the desert to defeat the devil’s temptations. He did the hard work of teaching and preaching, healing and converting. He did the hard work of living perfectly to give his perfection to us. He did the hard work of suffering for humanity’s sins, being forsaken by his Father, and giving up his life as a ransom for many. He even did the hard work of rising from the dead on the third day.
Jesus found great joy in all that hard work. His reward is seeing us believe in him as Savior so he can transfer that hard work to us. He found great joy and reward in redeeming our body and soul for the life to come.
We also rightly believe – but perhaps forget to emphasize – that Jesus redeems our body and soul for this life here and now. Jesus loved God above all things so you can love God above all things. Jesus loved his neighbor so you can love your neighbor. Now you can fulfill the two great commandments of loving your God and loving your neighbor. In everything Jesus ever did he glorified God. It is through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives you the occasion, motivation, and sanctification so “whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, you do everything to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Jesus is not only your one-way ticket to a better place. He is the source of joy in each place. He brings joy to you as you are busy here on earth. Joy in your home. Satisfaction with your work. Fulfillment with your education. Contentment whether you are blessed with a lot and contentment whether you are blessed with a little.
The only way St. Paul’s words to Pastor Timothy make any sense is if you have faith in Jesus redeeming your body and soul, work and possessions. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly cannot take anything out. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be satisfied” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).
The other day, a friend of mine admitted on social media that she’s struggling right now. She wrote, “It’s been hard lately. I’ve been struggling to work a new full-time job after 13 years out, fix up an old home that has issues, support my husband in his new job, design an affordable home on land that contains some earthly homesteading dreams, and still feel like I’m able to give my all at home. I don’t feel like I am currently a good wife, daughter, friend, or mom. I don’t feel like I’m doing my best to be able to care for the cares, health, and emotions of my five children. I want to know the secrets of those super moms who have five or more children and still get a decent, healthy meal on the table and have time to do workouts and have their hair done in more than a frizz bun AND *bonus points: have each of their children perfectly recite their Bible memory treasures to their teachers at school.”
That’s real. That’s raw. Do you ever feel like that? Meh. Meaningless. Useless. Unimportant. Vague. Vapor.
Because I was working on Ecclesiastes 5 for this sermon, I shared these words of wisdom from Solomon. They are way more encouraging and upbeat than his previous verses. “So then, here is what I have seen to be good: It is beautiful to eat, to drink, and to look for good in all a person’s hard work which he has done under the sun, during the few days of his life that God has given him, for that is his reward. Likewise, for everyone to whom God has given wealth and riches, if God has also given him ability to eat from it, to enjoy his reward, and to rejoice in the results of his hard work―this is a gift of God, for the man seldom reflects on the days of his life, since God keeps him busy with the joy in his heart.”
Without Jesus in your life – everything you do will seem good, fine, meh. But with Jesus inside of you, walking alongside of you, working and redeeming everything you think, say, and do, Solomon says you find beauty in what you eat, drink, and do for work. You find reward in a job well done.
You realize all your hard work, callouses, sore muscles, and exhausted mind, are gifts of God for a job well done.
You can end each day with reflection and prayer – on your own, with your spouse, with your family – thanking God that he kept you busy with Christ’s joy in your heart.
The parents find joy in the struggles with their children to sit still and stay quiet during church because they are teaching their children the way they should go so they do not depart from their Christian faith.
The wife finds satisfaction in being a stay-at-home mom – even though it will be difficult living on one income – because she knows no one will love, care for, and nurture her children better than her.
The husband finds contentment passing on a promotion, so he has evenings free with his wife and weekends free to take his kids fishing.
The members find fulfillment with their offerings, their efforts, and the tithes in their wills for the ministry of their church because they have just prayed in the Prayer of the Day, “Move our hearts to seek you and your kingdom, that all good things may be given to us as well.”
The couple finds reward in having an elderly parent move in with them because they know no one will love, care for, and nurture their parent better than them.
The elderly lady finds peace that though she has lost her independence, she is allowing her children or her care workers to show their love for her and glorify God in all they do for her.
Without faith in Jesus, our lives are like vapor. With faith in Jesus, our lives find value.
Without the focus on God’s Kingdom, our work is just hard. With the focus on glorifying God in all we do, our hard work is a reward.
Without putting money and property in their proper place, we will be clutching our stuff. When we don’t allow money and property to be our master, but we are the master of them, then we are content with nothing more than the daily bread we pray for.
Without love motivating everything we do, we are just busy. But when we emphasize loving God and loving our neighbor above all things, we find joy in our busyness.
Then each day is not just meh. We are able to reflect on each day as another gift from God. A day to keep busy with the joy of Jesus in our hearts. Amen.
Store up for yourselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that you may take hold of that which is truly life. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:19)