Verse 1 is an important reminder to all of us. It is very easy to approach God or to read His word with the attitude that God has to agree with us, that He has to learn from us. We should go with the attitude that we are there to learn, it is us who need to change our minds, not God.
When we presume to tell God what He should think and do we are acting like fools. If you are one of these fools then answer this question. What say did you have in the day you were born? In fact what say did you have in whether you would ever come into existence? When did you last create a universe and keep it going?
As it says in verse 2, God is in heaven and we are on earth, so let our words be few. We need to recognise our true position in the scheme of things.
We also need to be careful about making vows. We can be hasty with our words, but we should only make promises to God if we genuinely intend to fulfil them. It is better not to make the vow at all, than to make a vow and break it.
Verse 8,9 give a pretty accurate description of the economic system. There is always some creaming off profits, and it rarely goes to the poor. Yet seeking after money is a delusion as well. For no matter how much one gets you still want more. Money genuinely does not buy you happiness. In fact those in modest circumstances can often be more at ease than the rich. Money can suck life out of us. And the starting and end points of everyone's life is the same. We start with nothing and end with nothing.
So if we are able to enjoy our work we should be grateful. If we are able to enjoy any material goods we have now we should be grateful, rather than making an idol out of money. We need to live today.
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