Ecclesiastes 4.4 is a great piece of scripture. Many times when you begin to look at a sociaty, its economy and the forces that drive those economies, you see the very complex interweaving of life and how we spend our lives, and in this, feelings about consumption, spending, rich, wealth, begin to well up and I found myself in this place recently, and really didn't have good words to express how I felt. Yesterday when I read the passage verse 4 gave words to lips for what I was feeling in my soul.
Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
I read this and I really felt like this is a very under-read piece of Old Testament text. It's a text that has potential to become a subversive counter-culture mantra for anyone tired of the 12 steps to gaining the world idealology of modern culture, or it can be more than that. Actually I hope it is more than that. Because I think, actually I believe that it's a passage of scripture that can bring liberation.
To be honest, I've been working on writing this blog for little bit, and I have re-written it several times, and I think the best I can say beyond what I already have, is let Jesus be the measure and driving force behind your life. Don't feel imprisoned if God has blessed you with a successful career, be greatful and make the most of it, for His purposes. And in that same spirit, realize that success in this life brings us no closer to the heart of God. To get closer to His heart is to climb into His lap and lay your head on His chest, and from that experience let your motivation come forth. Ironically, when we strive to impress others and create illusions of success, that is what they usually are, illusions built in debt.
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Our school librarian read a book to the 3rd graders about just this topic. It was just a little picture book with a magic pot, but the message was very powerful. In the book a man and his wife were very poor and their only wish in the world was to have friends they could share their interests with. They get their wish and more as their table is filled with food and the find enough money to buy another blanket and candles for the long dark nights. They could have wished for so much, riches, fame, every luxury, but were content to settle for having friends to share the little they had. Then she asked us all, would you have been content? We have so much, and there is so much to be thank God for.
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