UBF Daily Bread

WHAT IS GOOD FOR A PERSON IN LIFE?

Passage: Ecclesiastes 6:1~12

Key verse: 12

6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: ²God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,^(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.^(B)

³A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn^(C) child is better off than he.^(D) ⁴It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. ⁵Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— ⁶even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?^(E)

⁷Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
    yet their appetite is never satisfied.^(F)
⁸What advantage have the wise over fools?^(G)
What do the poor gain
    by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
⁹Better what the eye sees
    than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
    a chasing after the wind.^(H)

¹⁰Whatever exists has already been named,^(I)
    and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
    with someone who is stronger.
¹¹The more the words,
    the less the meaning,
    and how does that profit anyone?

¹²For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days^(J) they pass through like a shadow?^(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

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We usually believe that wealth, possessions, and honor will give us joy and contentment. God will give an abundance of these things to some people. To an observer, they seem to have everything. But God also withholds from them the ability to enjoy these blessings and instead, a stranger enjoys them. The Teacher calls this “another evil.” What good is it to have everything in the world our heart desires but not be able to enjoy them?

The author gives another example. A person may have many children and a long life. But if the person cannot enjoy his prosperity or receive a proper burial, the person’s end is no better than a stillborn child. Such a child could arguably be better off since it dd not suffer in the world.

Wealth, possessions, honor, children, or a long life cannot alone give us contentment. Toiling for our mouths never satisfies us (7,9). In this light, even wisdom or knowing how to conduct ourselves can seem pointless (8). The inadequacies of human life are well known, and we cannot contend with God who is stronger than us (10). Who knows what is good for us? God knows! When we delight in him, he will give us the desires of our hearts (Ps 37:4).

Prayer: Father, you alone know what is good for us. Help me to pursue you, instead of worldly things, and live a meaningful life that honors you.

One Word: God knows what is good for us