By Pastor Jeff Jacobs
Unity Lutheran Parish –
St. Paul, Saetersdal and
St. Matthew’s, Granger
“Vanity of vanities! (Eccles 1:2b) The Hebrew literally means vapor of vapors, but it’s translated many ways: “utterly meaningless,” “all useless,” “nothing but smoke.” That’s Ecclesiastes’ conclusion about much of life – its toils and gains are vapor.
Authorship is ascribed to Solomon, Israel’s wisest, richest ruler, and it’s thought-provoking reflecting on his perspective. Chapter 2 states: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself … I also had great possessions of herds and flocks … silver and gold and the treasure of kings … I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem …Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
Yet in the next verse: 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 wind.
Even the most successful man of his age concluded “success” wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
A colleague once spoke about a parishioner working for a major corporation in the 1960s. His salary was SIX figures, but he determined he didn’t need that much to live on. He maintained a decent home with all necessities for $50,000 a year – giving the rest to charity! (My friend added he was audited yearly because the IRS couldn’t believe he gave away 80% of his salary). His family lived comfortably and his community benefitted.
That’s not saying everyone need donate 80% of their livelihood. But his view of work, money and possessions was akin to Ecclesiastes. To toil and pile up more is “vanity of vanity” – to provide for family, be generous in community and value time with loved ones reflects God’s vision for relationships over riches as real treasure.
“No one on their deathbed wishes they’d spent more time at the office,” it’s said. What this world “treasures” is often smoke and vapor; may we find greater meaning and riches with family, friends and God.
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