4 Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. ² So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. ³ But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.

⁴ Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

⁵ “Fools fold their idle hands,
    leading them to ruin.”

⁶ And yet,

“Better to have one handful with quietness
    than two handfuls with hard work
    and chasing the wind.”

⁷ I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. ⁸ This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.

⁹ Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. ¹⁰ If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. ¹¹ Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? ¹² A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

¹³ It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. ¹⁴ Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. ¹⁵ But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. ¹⁶ Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4

Dear God, there are three main topics in this chapter.

Human suffering: This is the one that is hard for so many of us. “How can a loving God allow such things to happen?” That’s the question a lot of unbelievers (and believers) ask. I think about the women who are trapped in sex trafficking, or any human trafficking. I think of children in abusive situations. Or the women. I think of the people who are sick with diseases that painful such as ALS. Horrible. What about those who are in war zones? Those who are born and live in dangerous neighborhoods? Now, there is some of this that is our responsibility to remedy. It’s my responsibility. The trick is, how? What can I do? If I gave $10,000 to a charity that works in this area, would it free one person from slavery? We give money to a local domestic violence shelter. To a food pantry. To all kinds of nonprofits. But the suffering is still out there. I don’t have any great answers for this except to say that sin is in the world and we, your creations, are capable of terrible atrocities against each other. I’m sorry for any role I have played or inadvertently continue to play in human trafficking. For example, I have heard that a lot of chocolate comes from cocoa beans harvested in Africa with slave labor. When I buy my favorite candy bar, am I contributing to their victimhood? Some buy drugs that fuel drug cartels. Some watch porn that is filmed with trafficking victims. There are all kinds of ways in which we can be complicit and even encouraging of these great sins.

Alone: There’s a line from Ted Lasso (spoiler alert) in which he says there is something worse that being sad. There is being alone and being sad. I am fortunate that I am not alone. You have given me a wife who I truly enjoy and love. You have given me a few close male friends. And you have given me good coworkers. I am the opposite of alone. But some are not. Help me to be sensitive to those who are alone, and show me how to minister to them.

Wise vs. Foolish: When I think about decision making and the best ways to do it, I think of two things. First, is the friend who tried hiking the Appalachian Trail alone. He injured himself three days in, but he told me later that after two days he found his decision making was compromised because he didn’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of. The other is an exercise we did in a team building day at work when the leader gave us a problem to solve individually. Then he put us in small groups to solve the problem. Then he brought the whole group together to solve the problem. The small group and then the whole group came up with answers that were better than the individual. In this way, this is a continuation of the concept of alone. And some people can be surrounded by people and still be alone. Insecurity can drive it. Arrogance. Hubris. And maybe the insecurity drives the arrogance and hubris. Either way, I am always better when I take input from others.

Father, remind me to be willing to let go of the foolish. Help me to embrace the people you have put around me. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. And show me how to 1.) alleviate the suffering around me and 2.) not contribute to any suffering.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen