In Ecclesiastes 1:3 the teacher asks a question: “What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”
Let’s note a few things.
First, when he says ‘man,’ he means ‘humankind.’ He’s not just talking about himself. He’s asking a question of all of us.
Second, when he says ‘toil,’ he’s talking about all the comings and goings of life.
Third, he’s expressing frustration. ‘I can’t seem to get ahead! Things aren’t working out!’
Fourth, he uses a specific phrase: “under the son.” This expression happens only in this book. It doesn’t occur anywhere else in the Old Testament. And yet, it pops up in Ecclesiastes twenty-eight times!
Here’s what it means: Living as if this world is all there is without reference to God or eternity.
The teacher in this book is inviting us to think about how we spend our time and energy. If this physical world is all there is, what’s the point? If we spend our entire lives working and making money and climbing the ladder and seeking temporary experiences that make us happy, but then it all comes to an end when we die, why bother?
As the book goes on, we discover that the things of this life can be useful. They can even be meaningful. But not if we neglect God, and not if we relegate God to the footnotes of our lives.
Today, ponder this question: Am I living for everything “under the sun,” or for the Son?
In other words, am I just living for temporary things and experiences (none of which will last), or am I living for Christ? And I speaking his truth, sharing his love, and working for his kingdom in the hopeful renewal of all things?
Let’s prioritize people more than stuff.
Let’s seek truth, not the deceptions of a society drunk on its own lies.
Let’s bless people, not use them.
Let’s calibrate our lives to God, not selfishness.
Am I living for everything “under the sun,” or for the Son? It makes all the difference—not only in this world, but in the world to come.
Notes:
-Bible quotes, ESV.
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