Solomon-Walked Among His People and Saw...

By Mary Vee
Ecclesiastes

From Solomon's Notes

I went for a walk among my people. I didn't stay away from any neighborhood, in fact I wanted to go to the poorest and to the neighborhoods where the evil ones lived.

There I saw the tears of men and women who are abused and have no one to comfort them. From this I realized the dead are happier because no one can hurt them, but those who aren't yet born are even better off because they have not seen the evil that is done.

I also saw that all work or great achievement was done only to impress others. One neighbor wants to show off to another. How ridiculous. They are only chasing after the wind. Will this one achievement last? It is much better to have one handful of peace than to work so hard for nothing.

And then I saw a man. He didn't have anyone to support. No wife, no child, no brother. Yet he work and bought many things. He never rested. And why? Why? 

Two are better than one. If this man had a wife, a family to share his work with he would have someone who could help him up when he falls, and someone to keep him warm. If he had a friend he would have someone who could help protect him and he could help protect the other. Why did this man work so hard to gain so much for himself?

At the temple I saw those who made great promises. But once they had to do what they said they cried out, "I didn't mean it." There words meant nothing. They made a promise to God at the temple and did not keep their word. Don't they realize who God is? God is in heaven and we are on earth. The person who teats God with folly will receive their reward, one they won't want. We must have respect and fear of the Almighty.

The poor have nothing, giving what little they have to those over them. Those men, in turn must give what they have to those over them. Everyone takes from the one under them.

Those who love money never have enough. They are never satisfied. The more they get, the more they want. And what good is it? The owner can walk about his wealth and look at it. Then what?

The worker who gives the wealthy man his money sleeps well at night weather he eats little or a big meal. But the wealthy man lays awake at night worrying about his wealth.

We are born with nothing and die taking nothing.

And then I realized it is good and right for a man to eat and drink and to find satisfaction in his work during the few days of life God has given him, for this is our duty.

AND when God gives any man wealth and enables him to enjoy it, he should because it is a gift from God. God will keep this person occupied with great happiness deep in his heart.

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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. Solomon walked among the people and saw the tears. He realized _____
2. Solomon saw a rich man who didn't have any family and thought _________
3. Solomon saw the rich man is actually miserable because _________
4. In the end, Solomon realizes that when God gives a man wealth it is _________