The Preacher’s advice in a world like ours: Time for a deep breath?
By Wye Huxford*
The Preacher of Ecclesiastes knows something about the issues that arise when people get too worried about money. In our present economic condition, perhaps we all need the reminder that this ancient Preacher provides in Ecclesiastes 5:10-15.
10 The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep.
13 There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. 15 As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands (Ecclesiastes 5:10-15, NRSV).
A trap
The pursuit of wealth can be a trap that will snare even the best intentioned. The opportunities to rationalize what we know to be bad behavior because of our desire for more are myriad. The trap can be so alluring that every relationship that has meaning – spouse, children, family, church, co-workers, neighbors – can become the victim of such snares.
Listen to the Preacher:
Wealth can be addictive – and like most addictions, never satisfies (5:10)
Wealth creates a system that attracts those who want what the wealthy have (5:11a)
Wealth – when accumulated – takes resources out of use and generates a miser’s attitude on the part of the one who has it (5:11b)
Wealth can cause the wealthy to forget the value of an honest day’s work and only remember his concern for protecting his wealth – no decent night’s sleep is had (5:12)
Wealth can create a spirit of miserliness that cause the rich man not to take care of himself (5:13)
Wealth can be easily lost with bad decisions (5:14)
Wealth can’t be taken with us! (5:15)
That these words are often associated with King Solomon – perhaps the richest man in his world – only adds to their veracity. Little wonder the recurring echo in Ecclesiastes is Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.
Better than pessimism
None of knows where the global economy will turn tomorrow. Inflation is seemingly on fire and shows no sign of abating. With the price of fuel, food, housing, health care, education, and nearly everything else, one can easily be depressed thinking about it all. With our huge budget deficits and the cost of war in Ukraine, it isn’t hard to be a bit pessimistic.
But – a word to all of us from the ancient Preacher: “You can’t take it with you!” In my many years of ministry, I have spoken at nearly 300 funerals. Some were for very wealthy people; some for very poor people. Some were deeply committed Christians; some were people who had no church relationships. What all of them had in common was that no Brinks truck followed the hearse to the cemetery!
In our relationship with God through Christ, we have something not only greater than any wealth we might accumulate but is eternal!
Being concerned about the world at the moment is perfectly fine. But we don’t need to let it get the best of us!
*Writing for us again today is guest columnist Wye Huxford, dean of the college of biblical studies and ministry at Point University, where he has been teaching since 1976. He also served for over 20 years as the pastor of a local church. He was married to the late Vicki Kindt Huxford for over 48 years, and they have two adult children, both of whom work in Christian higher education. You can read more of his work at wyehuxford.com, where this post first appeared.
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