Do you enjoy the fruits of your labor, or do you just want more?
I've been reading the book of Ecclesiastes. It's one of my favorites, because it shows the wisest king to ever live, Solomon, testing everything this world has to offer.
Today I want to share a key thought from this sage, though you probably already know it. It's in two parts:
- We all strive for riches, whether we believe in God or not. But if we get them, Solomon says, what good are they, except to "feast our eyes" on all our stuff?
- It is a gift of God to enjoy our work and whatever possessions we have.
I found this reminder refreshing, because I'm used to always thinking—and worrying—about finances. Owning a business requires it.
But upon reading Ecclesiastes 5:8-20, I had to re-examine my heart. Am I truly okay with where God has me and what he has given me? Can I still be happy if I never achieve the riches I desire?
I'm still thinking about these questions. How about you?
Striving with you,

Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | Books
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
—1 Timothy 6:6-7
Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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- Relearning our lessons the hard way (by Tom Harper)

