Material Things

Ecclesiastes 2: 4-8

“4 I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines…

11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after the wind and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

Twenty-five years ago, my father died.  I was with him the last two weeks of his life.  During that time, the meaning of this passage was never more clear to me.

At the end of our lives our bank accounts, our houses, our cars, our properties will have no meaning.  The material world’s grip on us will be loosened.   

The spiritual, eternal things will be the things that matter most to us, such as love; the love of God, the love of Christ, the love for our family and friends.

The writer of Ecclesiastes warns us that the true meaning of life cannot be found in  a life obsessed with chasing things that rust, decay and fade away.  

Happiness found in material things is temporary at best.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;” (Matthew 6:19) 

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)