The Luxury of Contentment

Ecclesiastes 2: 8-11, 24-26 (NIV): I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have all the money in the world? To have all of the pleasures and delights that people desire at your fingertips? I have! We read about celebrities with their glamorous lifestyles, beautiful homes, cars, friends, vacations, and all of the latest gadgets and toys, and it is human nature to wish for that for ourselves.

In this passage, a man gives to himself everything he could possibly want or desire. He not only buys pleasure and entertainment, but he also oversees building projects that make his community better. This man is the third king of Israel, Solomon, the richest person who ever lived. He said his wisdom stayed with him during this experiment – in other words, he took note of whether or not he found true happiness and fulfillment in his lifestyle of luxury.

His conclusion? That everything left him unfulfilled and empty.

Isn't that what we see happening with our celebrities today? They have “everything in the world”, but they are not satisfied with it and have to continually clamor for more. They can't keep their marriages together, and many of them end up in jail or rehab or both. It's not that being wealthy makes you unhappy, it's just that it doesn't make you happy. Just ask Solomon. Wealth, pleasure and entertainment can give happiness, but it simply doesn't last and we are never satisfied. That's why, when asked how much wealth is enough, a famous billionaire said, “just a little bit more.”

Solomon concluded that the only thing that makes us truly happy is to please God day after day. When we do, we will find fulfillment in our work, we will find pleasure in our belongings, and we will find love in our families. Searching for meaning in things leaves us empty – but living for God's pleasure every day gives us meaning and happiness and joy and a purpose.