While I am generally never afraid of sharing my faith in these columns, I also am cognizant of the fact that my beliefs aren’t necessarily shared by all of my readers so I try to keep my articles as secular as possible.
However, recently my pastor, Neil Chesshir of One Church, wrapped up a phenomenal study of the Book of Ecclesiastes that I felt is quite relevant to the topic of money and worthy of opining on. For those of you who are unaware, Ecclesiastes is a book of the Old Testament often credited to the son of Israel’s King David, Solomon.
The book is philosophical in nature and attempts to answer the age-old question about the meaning of life. In many ways it can be a rather depressing read, as the author discusses the futility and meaningless of virtually all of life’s endeavors. These include such things as pleasure, power, knowledge and wealth. English translations of the ancient texts often use the word vanity to describe these pointless ambitions, but the actual word used in Hebrew is Hevel which literally translated is “smoke.” The reason these things are referred to as smoke is because they are things that appear to have substance until you reach out to grab them, at that point you find they pass through your fingers.
In the end, the writer concludes that the only thing that can bring meaning to one’s life is focusing on things outside of ourselves. He comes to the conclusion that service and obedience to God is the only thing that matters.
As I said in the beginning, my intent in this column is not to proselytize to all of you. Regardless of your personal view of the Bible, or even a divine creator, the truth and wisdom that comes from this ancient work is worthy of discussion.
The fact is, I believe currently as a nation we have been blessed with more power, pleasure, knowledge and wealth, than any society in the history of mankind. Yet despite that, happiness still eludes too many of us. According to Gallop the American people hit an all-time low ranking in their annual World Happiness Report in 2024. Could it be that just as the Solomon discovered, these things that we think will make us whole do not provide the satisfaction we expect?
I believe the answer is yes. I believe true happiness only comes when we shift our focus away from ourselves, to something outside of our own wants and desires. I can speak in my own life that I feel the happiest when I am doing something for someone else. Whether that be serving my family, serving my community or serving my God, I feel best when I am not focused on myself.
Right now, the world is a volatile place. There are signs that the world economy is weakening, political instability is growing, and hopelessness seems to be rampant. During times like these, I believe it is vital that our attention be shifted to things that are more than just “Hevel.” Those are the only things that are lasting. Those are the only things that are real.
If you find yourself in a place of great fear or concern about the world in which we live, I would encourage you to refocus these energies to others. Not only will their situation be made better, but perhaps yours will as well.
(Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The advice is general in nature and not intended for specific situations)