Under-the-sun Point of View

Eccles. 10:19

19 Bread is made for laughter,
and wine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.

• What do meals mean to you?
  
• How is eating to live different from living to eat?
  
• While there is obviously nothing wrong with enjoying a meal, what are the risks of focusing on the enjoyment of each meal?
  
• How does wine make life merry?
  
• What additional substances are used today to make life merry?
  
• What does wine/drug do to the struggles and hardships of life?
  
• What are the risks of using wine/drug to make life merry?
  
• Why does money seem to be the answer to everything?
  
• How is having money to live different from living to have money?
  
• What are the risks of focusing on gaining money?
  
• What are the risks of depending on money as the answer?
  
• How different was the world view in Solomon's time from ours today?
  
• What are the hazards of centering your world view on the physical pleasures/needs?

Harold's Musings:
Once again something written thousands of years ago echoes life today. Obesity is a major health problem in America today. Why? Because we seek comfort and pleasure in food to offset the struggles and worries of life. What if food doesn't work? We move to heavier things, like alcohol or other drugs. Maybe we will not go that far, but "if only I had [fill in the blank] I would be happy". We want to put our trust in what we can touch and control. The irony is we give up control to untrustworthy things. It is just chasing the wind.

Woe to the Rich

James 5:1-6

5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

• Why would James include this passage in a book to Christians?
  
• Do you consider yourself rich?
  
• How much of your energy and thought goes toward your possessions?
  (Consider getting, maintaining, enjoying, etc)
  
• How much of your energy and thought goes toward your pleasure?
  
• When have you mistreated someone in order to make or keep money?
  
• When have you hurt a relationship over money?

Harold's Musings:
There was obviously some rich Christians among James' readers else he would not have included this. James comments are much like Jesus' in Matthew 6:19-21. This passage comes immediately after he addressed quarrels with others over desired things, warnings about being friends with the world, pride and judging others, and making plans to make money. The lead-in for this passage indicates just how dangerous our wealth can be. One of the major areas of conflict in marriages is money. Worries about money are probably among the most common worries of people in the US. So who is your god? The everlasting God or temporary stuff? That is a lot to think about.