688_The right attitude towards money (Ecclesiastes 5:10 to 6:12)
Ecclesiastes 5:10-17 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
A certain man spent most of his life building his business. He worked long hours, sacrificed time with family, and bit by bit he accumulated wealth beyond his fondest dreams. Near the end of his life, someone asked him, “Was it worth it?” After a long pause, he replied, “I thought money would give me everything I needed. But now I realize it gave me everything except what I truly needed.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 to 6:12 portrays profound reflections on money. It neither condemns wealth harshly, nor calls for poverty. It lays open the human heart, its expectations, illusions, and restless pursuit of satisfaction through materialism.
The Preacher observes: “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). This seems almost too obvious, and yet it cuts deeply into the way we live. Why is it that more never feels like enough? Why is contentment always just beyond our reach?
We tend to believe that if our income increases, so will peace and happiness. The Preacher exposes this illusion. As wealth increases, so do the demands. More money often means more responsibilities, more demands, more anxiety about protecting what we have. Instead of bringing rest, wealth multiplies our worries.
The poor laborer may lie down to enjoy the sleep of exhaustion after the long day is over. But the rich man is tortured by the enjoyment of his riches, his “full stomach”. He tosses and turns as he ponders his investments, losses, and uncertainties. Money promises satisfaction, but often delivers restlessness.
Therefore the Lord declared, “Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). In the parable of the rich fool, a man stores up wealth for himself, believing his future is secure, only to lose his life that very night. He was not foolish because he was wealthy. The issue was that he gave wealth the place that only God deserves.
In another place we read, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Not money itself, but the love of it—the misplaced trust, the false hope— leads the heart astray. And the antidote? “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Contentment is not in getting more, but in knowing God.
The Preacher then turns our attention to the fragility of wealth. Ecclesiastes 5:13–17 describes the sudden loss of riches. And in the end, every person leaves this world exactly as they entered it—empty-handed.
So what security does wealth really provide? If it can vanish overnight, if it cannot follow us beyond the grave, is it a good foundation to build our earthly lives upon?
The Lord told his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–20). Earthly wealth is inherently unstable. It can decay, be stolen, or lose its value. But the treasure in heaven cannot be touched by time or circumstance.
James echoes this when he compares wealth to a fading flower (James 1:10–11). It may appear beautiful but only for a fleeting moment. Ecclesiastes shows us the instability of wealth; the Lord redirects our focus toward eternal reality.
But after describing the vanity and fragility of wealth, the Preacher pauses and says, “This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor… for this is their lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18). He recognizes the good in enjoying life, in gratefully experiencing the fruit of our work.
But the point is that this enjoyment is “the gift of God.” Everyone with wealth cannot enjoy it. We need to focus, not on the joy of having great wealth, but on the joy of being provided for by God. To rightly enjoy wealth, our hearts must be aligned to the will of God as top priority. .
Paul says that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). And he immediately balances it with a call to generosity and trust. Enjoyment is not for sheer self-indulgence, but a gift to spur gratitude and open-handed living.
Then the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 6:1–6 describes a man who has everything—wealth, possessions, honor, even a long life—but cannot enjoy it. It is a tragic picture. Outwardly, this man has succeeded. Inwardly, he is empty.
The Preacher goes so far as to say that a stillborn child is better off than such a man. It is a shocking statement, meant to jolt us into reality? What good his business acumen if it only lets him accumulate riches, without joy in the living?
The Lord had a completely different vision of life when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Abundant life is not about how much we have, but about the life we receive from Him.
The Preacher continues. “Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). This is the restless condition of the human heart. We strive, we pursue, we achieve—and yet something within us remains unfulfilled. Therefore, he turns our desires to the present rather than chase after the illusion of the future.
There is wisdom in learning to be present, to receive what God has given now, rather than constantly longing for what we do not have.
The Lord confirmed this reorientation of life when he called us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Instead of chasing satisfaction through possessions, we are called to seek God Himself. Paul says, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). Contentment is something learned through trust in God.
Finally, the Preacher ends with a series of questions: Who knows what is truly good for a person in life? Who can tell what will happen after them? Life appears uncertain, beyond our control, and difficult to fully understand.
These questions are never fully answered, for they reflect the limits of human wisdom. Left on our own, we cannot fully grasp the meaning of life, nor can we secure our future.
But this is where the gospel speaks with clarity and hope. What is good for us? The Lord answers: to know God and to live for His kingdom (John 17:3). What about the future? Our hope is anchored in the resurrection of Christ, in a life that extends beyond death. Is life meaningless? No—because in Christ, our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
So what, then, is the right attitude toward money? It is to understand that wealth is a gift from God, to be enjoyed according to his commandments with gratitude, used in the fear of the Lord. It is not to be idolized nor despised. It cannot satisfy our longings, but it can be a means of blessing others, of advancing God’s purposes, of investing in what truly lasts.
Money becomes dangerous when it takes the place of God. But when it is held with open hands, it becomes a tool for good. The Lord spoke of using worldly wealth to gain friends for eternity. It is a reminder that even temporary resources can have eternal impact when used in the light of God’s kingdom.
Let us examine where our sense of security is rooted. What do we expect money to give us? Are we able to enjoy what God has already placed in our hands? Let us loosen our grip on what we cannot keep, and cling with utter dependence to the One who gives true life. Let us receive with grateful trust, give with generous faith, and live with pious contentment.
Because it is not what we have that defines us—but whom we trust and follow. God bless.
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