Today’s Reading, Ecclesiastes 1-6
Focal Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:22 “For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?”
I have a work problem. I don’t mean a problem where I don’t like to work. My problem is that work can overtake my life. For instance, when I was in full time ministry it was extremely difficult for me to turn it off when I was away from the office. It would consume my thoughts, my decisions and even my planning. My position and work dictated almost everything that I did the entire day. This was not good or healthy for a variety of reasons. I would especially get frustrated when others did not want to do ministry at the same pace I was accustomed. It doesn’t make sense to me that people called into ministry aren’t consumed with ministry.
In today’s reading we see Solomon make the statement “what does a person get for all of their work and efforts under the sun.” Solomon wants people to understand that work matters, but it is not the most important thing in a persons life. If it does become the most important thing it will leave you with nothing else to hold onto.
I came to the realization that no matter how hard I worked and no matter how much ministry was done it would never be enough. I also realized that if I were to die my job would be posted fairly quickly. A replacement would come in and all the time I poured into a position would be forgotten. The job would continue but the person would not be remembered.
The challenge I have for you today is to make sure that your job does not define you. You need to do a good job because I is a testimony of your walk with Christ. However, your job can’t be how you or others identify you. If it is you will put time into something that will not respect you back.
Our jobs matter but they should not define our lives. The only thing that should define our lives is our relationship with Jesus.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Ecclesiastes 7-12
