“The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.” (v.12)
In a report that should surprise no one, the Better Sleep Council says Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. In the last twenty years, we have added 158 hours, nearly an entire month, to our yearly work schedules. Why? Because we want stuff, and yet, the more we make the less we seem to have? It’s the desire for more, and how we plan to manage our bills, that keeps us up at night.
Solomon’s observation in our text stands out as the sole positive point of this passage, "a hard day’s work yields a good night’s sleep, but the sheer accumulation of riches brings insomnia (v.12). He also makes it clear through the passage, that gaining real satisfaction and enjoyment from our work has nothing to do with what we have, but with what has us. Sure, money has its place, but as the wise man who wrote Ecclesiastes realized, those who love money will not be satisfied with it (5:10).
Therefore, work hard, and be thankfully satisfied with whatever the Lord gives, and you will not lay awake at night desiring more.
The Truth: “Come to Me, all who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
In a report that should surprise no one, the Better Sleep Council says Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. In the last twenty years, we have added 158 hours, nearly an entire month, to our yearly work schedules. Why? Because we want stuff, and yet, the more we make the less we seem to have? It’s the desire for more, and how we plan to manage our bills, that keeps us up at night.
Solomon’s observation in our text stands out as the sole positive point of this passage, "a hard day’s work yields a good night’s sleep, but the sheer accumulation of riches brings insomnia (v.12). He also makes it clear through the passage, that gaining real satisfaction and enjoyment from our work has nothing to do with what we have, but with what has us. Sure, money has its place, but as the wise man who wrote Ecclesiastes realized, those who love money will not be satisfied with it (5:10).
Therefore, work hard, and be thankfully satisfied with whatever the Lord gives, and you will not lay awake at night desiring more.
The Truth: “Come to Me, all who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
