The Best of Both Worlds

At the end of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, Solomon concludes that the greatest blessing God gives to man on earth is the ability to enjoy the "...fruit of his labor..." (Ecclesiastes 3:22).

• Doing of it
• The profit from it
• The satisfaction produced by it

He says that the sum of happiness in this life is found here. Of course, it's not the sum of all life, but for the present life, this is where it's at and regardless of the condition of one's spiritual life, these innate rules hold true.

Christians need to be reminded of these things from time to time. As people who emphasize spiritual things, we tend to forget that life on earth is governed by these principles and we are subject to them just like everyone else. If we want satisfaction in this life, we will find it largely coming from the work we do from day to day, just like Solomon says.

There are, to be sure, things to watch out for. For example, non-believers may think that this joy is all there is and, like Solomon, become disillusioned and absorbed by chasing only after these pleasures. Christians too may be lulled into thinking that they, by themselves, have created their own happiness through work, forgetting God's blessings.

Solomon provides wisdom here by reminding us that there is a time for everything, including our time on earth. The wise person, he says, will not forfeit heaven by focusing solely on earthly things regardless of how satisfying they may be.

Christians need to make the most of the time here and prepare for the time to come by obeying and serving Jesus Christ. In this way, we can have the best of both worlds, the one we live in and the one Jesus will create when He comes.