Meaningful Work - Perspective Matters (Part 3)
Don’t get stuck in an “Under the Sun” Mentality
In chapter one of Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s search for meaning and wisdom led him to repeat the phrase “under the sun” or “under heaven” four times when introducing the vanity and futility and dissatisfaction with life apart from God. This is especially important to notice, because it is a phrase that is repeated 32 times in the book’s twelve chapters. As the reader we have to remember that all the vanity that Solomon experiences and writes about is meant to be a foil or dark backdrop for the bright truth of what or rather WHO it is that gives life meaning.
In Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, we read a list of Solomon’s endeavors as he searched to find meaning and satisfaction. He tested out living for pleasure and entertainment. He tested out alcohol. He tested out living for accomplishments. He says in verses 4-8, “I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kind of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of trees….I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who proceeded me….I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings…I provided for myself singers….”, but his conclusion was, “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold it was all vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”
Do you notice any repeated words in that litany of pursuits? He did it all for himself! The passage repeats “for myself” over and over and over again. James 3:13-18 exposes the source of this kind of living for what it is. This passage says:
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits (think Galatians 5:22-23 fruit of the Spirit fruit!), unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
We learn from this that living for self “under the sun” on this earth is “vanity, vanity” for sure, and the wisdom from above is quite the opposite! Wisdom from above is pure, brings peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy and good fruits! The other verse that helps us know how to overcome our selfish nature is Colossians 3:23-24. It says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Attitude is Everything
In Ecclesiastes chapter three, after the famous list of how there is a time for every season and matter under heaven — a list that captures the rhythm of life and includes a time to laugh, weep, mourn, dance, embrace, shun embracing, be silent, speak up, and do various types of necessary work — we are then given some specific exhortations about how to do that work, and really, about how to go about living.
The God-Given Task - Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV
The passage begins with a question: What gain has the worker from his toil? But the beginning of the answer is different than we might expect. Solomon reminds us that God in His sovereign authority has given people work to occupy their days with. He says, “I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.” The New King James translators put it this way, “I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.” So, seeing out work as tasks given to us by God helps a lot when the days are long and hard. It can help us find reasons and ways to thank him for the work He’s bestowed on us to do.
Then King Solomon goes on to say some more unexpected but enlightening things. He says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Eccles. 3:11). Remember this is in answer to the question, “What gain has the worker from his toil?” Solomon says from his observation, holding fast to the goodness of God and the mystery of God is the first part of the answer. Our sovereign, all-knowing, almighty God, has made us for “God-given tasks” and “He has made everything beautiful in its time”. I’ve always cherished a poem called “The Weaver”. I think it may be helpful to share here, because in the context of there being a season and a time for every matter under heaven, there’s also the reality that often our toil here on this earth can seem very hard indeed, and the mysteries of God’s will often elude us until we join Him in heaven.
by Grant Colfax Tullar (1869-1950)
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colours
He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper,
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
Be Joyful & Do Good
Now for the second part of Solomon’s answer to the question, “What gain has the worker from his toil?”
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. (Eccles. 3:12-13)
I think this is a great reminder to have fun with our work! To enjoy the tasks of the day whether at work or at home. If our attitude toward life is to be filled with thankfulness toward God and to see His goodness everywhere, then enjoying our work will come much more naturally. “There is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” These are such vital keys for life!
In the book of Nehemiah, there are two places where the joy of the Lord is mentioned. Once is when the law has been read and explained to the people and they are convicted by it, but Ezra the Priest and Nehemiah the Governor told the people that the day was “Holy unto the Lord,” and therefore not to mourn but to rejoice and celebrate by eating and drinking and blessing those who didn’t have anything prepared for the festival. They tell the people in Nehemiah 8:10, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The other place is in Nehemiah 12 when they are celebrating the huge accomplishment of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. They had worked side by side, fought off enemies together and now were having a huge worship service together. Nehemiah 12:43 says, “And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader,and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.” Our God is full of joy, and He lifts us up as we get right with Him, put our hands to His work wholeheartedly, celebrate Him and worship Him.
King Solomon’s second answer seems to show that he has learned from his mistaken selfish pursuits of chapter two where everything he did was FOR HIMSELF. Here in chapter three, he exhorts all of us that our purpose in life is to “be joyful AND DO GOOD…” A well-respected Bible commentator, who lived from 1662-1714, named Matthew Henry writes the following about this part of the passage:
We must make good use of [the lot God has given us] for the benefit of others. All the good there is in them [His gifts to us] is to do good with them, to our families, to our neighbours, to the poor, to the public, to its civil and religious interests. What have we our beings, capacities, and estates for, but to be some way serviceable to our generation? We mistake if we think we were born for ourselves. No; it is our business to do good; it is in doing good that there is the truest pleasure, and what is so laid out is best laid up and will turn to the best account.
This section and the ones I’ll take you through in Part Four remind me so much of exhortations that Jesus has given us in His Sermon on the Mount when He teaches us to give to others in secret and not with a trumpet to call attention to our giving. He says in Matthew 6:3-4, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. He gives us similar instructions about prayer, and in chapters 13 and 15 of John’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a new commandment to love one another, even as He has loved us. He tells us that what should mark us is love. In fact, He ties our witness for Him to this, saying, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Lastly, in this same vain, Jesus exhorts us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Yes, through the power of the Holy Spirit, King Solomon came to understand important truths about life and work, which can infuse our life and work with joy and meaning if we’ll take his wisdom to heart.
Questions to ask ourselves:
1) Are we stuck in an “under the sun” mentality where we forget to look up and remember God’s goodness, His Presence, His purposes and His lovingkindess toward us?
2) Are we really focused on building our own kingdom’s for our own comfort and pleasure or out of selfish ambition? If so, Solomon and James have strong warnings for us about the meaninglessness and destructiveness of that type of life.
3) Are we living our lives with thankful hearts, seeing God’s goodness everywhere, finding joy in life and doing good?
4) Are we teaching our kids to have fun while they work and to do good so they can glorify their Father in Heaven?
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Mug Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash
Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3." Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar, 1996. Web. 20 Apr, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Ecc/Ecc_003.cfm>.
