Enjoying Relationships Over Possessions

Solomon was wrecked with emptiness. It's on every page of Ecclesiastes. He has so much and finds so little joy in all of it. And he comes to some conclusions:

Ecclesiastes 6:1–3 (ESV) There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

Notice the great evil of this man's life. He doesn't enjoy what he has. What a terrible kind of life. To have all kinds of things, all kinds of money and honor, and yet to find no enjoyment in them. No wonder Jesus came to Earth being born to a poor family in Nazareth. He knew this to be true - possessions aren't the source of true and lasting pleasure or peace. The things and moments of this life must be enjoyed with the people of our lives.

When we define our lives by our things and wealth we inevitably run into so many problems. Here are a few:

More things require more attention. You get the new object that you think is so necessary but then that thing gets you, your attention, your sacrifice, and your work. 

More things change how people see you. When your life seems to be much richer by comparison to others people may be less inclined to assume you need anything. Which is far from true. You need so much. Most of all you need community. 

More things take you away from what you really need - more meaningful relationships. Notice that verse 2 says, "a stranger" enjoys the things the wealthy man gained. In other words, he has no close relationships to enjoy these things with.

What we can and must do is find enjoyment in what God gives us that is beyond things. With good and friendly company, we can experience joy and gladness. In family we can truly grasp the goodness of God through the life He blesses. 

So Solomon concludes:

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (ESV) Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

In other words. It's better to enjoy what you have instead of chasing more. What that means then is to be thankful for where you are and what you have. Because no matter what you get, someone always has more and "seems" happier. 

SEEMS so. But may not be so. 

In case you think this is just the ancient experience of Israel's great King, Solomon writes about that which is nothing new:

Ecclesiastes 6:10 (ESV) Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.