“Please God And Gain Wisdom, Knowledge And Happiness!”

“Please God And Gain Wisdom, Knowledge And Happiness!”
This year, after having heard the death of some persons, I have asked myself, “What is it all about? Person di knack skin sef na for weti?” Indeed; there is nothing worth boasting about! The Teacher in the Bible mentions that he hated all things he had toiled for because he must leave them to the one who comes after him. Worst of it the man who may eventually have control over his wealth may be a fool. His heart began to despair of all his toil under the sun. “A man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it….What does a man get for all the toil and anxious thriving…All his days his work is pain and grief, even at night his mind does not rest.”
The Teacher concluded that all is meaningless and that “a man can do nothing better than to eat and drink, and find satisfaction in his work.” This is where we often miss the point and misunderstand the Teacher. He is not saying work is meaningless. If you have to eat and drink, you must work for it. The point is that work should not become drudgery. Work becomes drudgery because we focus more on what to amass for the future, such that we forget the present.
Each day we ask God to give us this day our daily bread, but immediately after the prayer we become engrossed in wanting to have and keep what is not. The more we have, the more we want to have more.
When we eat and drink, we must work. The difference is we should find satisfaction in our work! And this can only come from God! Without God no-one can eat and have enjoyment. When we please God he gives us wisdom, knowledge and happiness, “but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” Even so, “this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Eccl.2:18-26).
My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ says apart from me you can do nothing. Focus on God and do not be envious of the wealthy as they accumulate their wealth. They may be working for others.
The story is told of a man who was driver to a tycoon. Despite his riches, the tycoon paid the dutiful driver misersly. The man died, his widow fell in love with the driver and they got married. The driver said to himself, “All along I thought my master was wicked to me.I didn’t know he was gathering all this wealth for me.” In pidgin we would say, “This life noh balance at all!”
Work and earn. Share with others what you have today instead of gathering and storing for others whom you do not know. Do what pleases God.
Prayer of the week: Holy Spirit, help me daily to find satisfaction in my work and give me wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Amen!
Welcome back to a new working week! Have a blessed day and week! Peace be with you!