Ecclesiastes 4:4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Prioritize Life
Do you ever stop and realize that you spend most of your time working? Before we start working, we spend time learning in school so we can obtain a great job. The more education, supposedly, the more skill. Men miss time with their families while trying to earn promotions. Women sacrifice their families for their career advancement. So much toil and hard work in the name of keeping up with the world.
Again, we see Solomon use the word we are tired of hearing: vanity. Grasping for the wind is such a futile task. We can’t see it or touch it, only feel it. If you haven’t reached the point of trying to figure out your true need in life, believe me: if you have an inkling of yearning for true meaning, you will one day. How long will you cling to something futile?
Ecclesiastes 4:5 The fool folds his hands, And consumes his own flesh.
This does not mean we should be like stoics, sit in our pride, and think this is just what life has dealt us. No, work is a gift from God. We’re talking about priority. God first, then family, and thirdly, work. If we sit and look at the sky trying to grasp the wind, we will come to poverty. Know that God has a purpose for us. We were created in His image. He wants to have a relationship with us. We are to leave our mother and father and find a wife. Then we are called to tend, just like Adam and Eve in the garden.
First and Foremost
John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
Where does your heart abide? If it does not abide with Jesus, then you will not bear fruit. To bear fruit, you need the sap from the vine, which originates in the root. Jesus is the only way to the Father. If Jesus is the vine, then the Father is the root. Without Jesus, there is no spiritual or eternal life in heaven with Him. Can you say that you truly know Jesus as Lord and Savior?
Key Takeaways
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 highlights how envy arises from toil and hard work, yet it’s ultimately vain.
- People often prioritize work over family, leading to a sense of futility in their lives.
- The article emphasizes God’s intended priorities: God first, followed by family, and then work.
- To bear spiritual fruit, one must abide in Jesus, who is essential for eternal life with the Father.
- True fulfillment comes from finding a relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Leave a Reply