8 Short Lessons from Ecclesiastes 5
1. Vs1-2, Be careful what you do when you go for worship. You are in the presence of God. Take time to listen in the house of God; don’t be talkative. Think carefully and consider before you say anything in the church because you are before God. He is greater and wiser than you, so don’t do lip service.
2. Vs3-5, Dreams are usually drawn from what we spend more time doing during the day (much activity) so be careful what you spend your time doing. Don’t be the only one talking all the time, also take time to listen to others. Talking and not listening is a sign of foolishness, so watch your words.
3. Vs 4-5, Don’t make a promise you cannot fulfill before God. If you say I will do something in God’s honor do it quickly because if you don’t, it’s foolishness and God is not happy with such acts. So please, do whatever you promise to do. It is better to keep quiet and not promise to do anything than to promise and fail.
4. Vs 6-7, Your mouth can put you in trouble and cause you to sin. Don’t be hasty to speak mostly especially, before God and His servants, and then later you come back and say, ‘it was a joke or that’s not what I wanted to say.’ So think carefully before you speak and be sure of what you are saying because God does not take it lightly what you say in His Presence. Don’t bring a curse on yourself with your own mouth. Fear God.
5. Vs 8-9, Don’t be surprised when you see corruption and oppression; there is always someone higher who watches over other leaders and another who is higher that watches over the higher one. In essence, there is always someone stronger. Know that even the mighty and powerful all benefit from the ground (the rich or powerful get their food, clothes gold, and raw materials for their cars, mansions, etc from the ground). So at last God watches over all and all benefit from what He has already made. Fear God.
6. Vs 10-12, Don’t fall into the delusion of gathering wealth and loving money, you will never be satisfied, at last, it is of no use. Riches come with their own challenges. When you work hard and you are content you have rest but when you are in a race to own it all, your abundance will take sleep and peace from you; so be careful that you don’t end up only seeing them with your eyes.
7. Vs 13-17, Don’t be selfish by hoarding riches for yourself because it will only be to your own destruction. Understand that you shall return to the grave with nothing, just as you were born with nothing. You cannot carry the wealth you have gathered with you to the grave. So what will you gain at last if you just gather without sharing? At last, there is sickness, sorrow, and anger.
8. Vs18-20, It is good to enjoy what you have from your labor. God has given us life to labor, this is our heritage, so enjoy what God has blessed you with. But remember that as God has given you riches and life to enjoy your wealth; it is a gift, not your right. So use it well, and God will keep you all the days of your life with joy in your heart. Remain Blessed.
BY M. Jackson