October 1, 2010 – Ecclesiastes 2

The way I read this, he is talking about all the things he obtained through his wisdom.  So many more things then the fool or someone who was lazy and did not get all this wealth.  Yet when they both die, they leave Earth with the same amount of stuff, nothing.  This is a lament for working so hard to earn up material things that are going to be given to somebody else after we die.  If you are going to live life with the sole purpose of getting as much stuff in your possession as you can, you might as well be a lazy fool, because in the end, you take the same amount with you. 

Not only can’t you take it with you, but your large amount of possessions will drive you made with worry.  All your materials will be a constant worry for you so that the life you work so hard to gain will not be a life worth living.  Here again, you might as well be a lazy fool with no worries. 

This could probably be read that you can’t have anything material.  That isn’t how I see it.  I just see it as a recognition of what material goods actually are.  They aren’t something we should focus on strive for.  Yes, it is good to have goals and work towards things, but they should not consume us.  We are called to strive for something not of this world, and whatever we try and fill that hole with that is worldly will only leave us dissatisfied.