The Worth of Relationships – Ecclesiastes 4:1-12
On this chapter, Solomon continues his reflections about life, however shifts his focus from time and eternity to relationships. He noticed how highly effective folks use their place and power to oppress the weak and weak. Then, to make issues worse, a lot of their victims had nobody to consolation them of their oppression. The truth that they had been helpless and alone upset Solomon much more. It appeared like it could be higher to die than to have nobody there to consolation or defend you. This led him to mirror once more on the depth of evil on the earth, and he puzzled if it could truly be higher to have by no means been born in any respect than to learn about such evil, but be so powerless to do something about it.
Solomon additionally noticed how exhausting folks needed to work and realized that competitors drove a lot of it. This appeared pointless to him, too, as a result of there’ll at all times be somebody extra profitable and somebody much less profitable. So, what’s the goal of working your self to loss of life attempting to be higher than another person? However giving up and quitting wasn’t the reply both, as a result of individuals who refuse to work find yourself destroying themselves. It appeared to him that what folks wanted was freedom from rivalry and restlessness, a steadiness between work and relaxation. Too little work leaves an individual destitute, however work for the mistaken motive solely frustrates and breeds discontentment (Proverbs 10:4; 1 Timothy 5:8, 6:6-10).
He considered a person who labored exhausting his complete life, and although he had riches, they didn’t fulfill him as a result of he had nobody to share them with or hand them all the way down to. He spent all his time and power working, however with out a beneficiary or an inheritor, his work appeared meaningless. It had no enduring goal.
So, Solomon concluded that life is finest when it may be shared with others. Having somebody to share the burdens with offers you relaxation and peace of thoughts, and having somebody to share the rewards with makes all of the exhausting work price it. It’s higher to have a accomplice in your work than a rival, and companions make you stronger, extra resilient, much less weak, and extra content material.
