A Cautionary Tale 警世故事
Dexu Xia
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners. Ecclesiastes 5:13
Today's Scripture Ecclesiastes 5：13-20
Today's Insights In Ecclesiastes, Solomon seeks to answer the perplexing question of the meaning of life. He shows that life without God is futile, unfulfilling, miserable, and meaningless “under the sun” (see 1:3, 13-14; 12:8). Then he explains how and why God must fit into our lives (2:24-26; 3:11-14; 5:7, 18-20). He examines human accomplishments, pleasures, and intellectual pursuits (chs. 1-2); the repetitive mundane existential/experiential life (ch. 3); and social interactions and community (ch. 4). Though accumulating wealth through hard work in itself isn’t wrong, pursuing materialism for its own sake brings disillusionment and despair (chs. 5-6). But the person who reverently worships and fears God (5:1-7) will see and enjoy the fruit of his labor as a gift from God (vv. 18-20). Solomon offers us this recipe for a fulfilled life: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (12:13).
Today's Devotional In the classic film Citizen Kane, Charles Foster Kane amasses wealth and power by building a newspaper empire. In a story reminiscent of Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, Kane spares himself no pleasure, building a castle with grand gardens full of artistic treasures.
Like other tycoons, what Kane really wants is adulation. He bankrolls his own political career and, when it fails, he blames the defeat on voter “fraud” to save face. He builds his wife an opera house and forces her into an ill-suited singing career to make him look good. Here too Kane’sstory echoes Ecclesiastes, where wealth is found to harm those who chase and hoard it (5:10-15), leaving them eating “in darkness, with great frustration” (5:17). By the end of his life, Charlie Kane lives in that castle alone, isolated and angry.
Citizen Kane ends with the revelation that Charlie’s pursuits have been driven to fill a void in his heart—the parental love he lost as a child. I can imagine the author of Ecclesiastes agreeing. Our Father God has “set eternity in the human heart” (3:11), and life can only be enjoyed with Him (2:25). Charlie Kane’s cautionary tale speaks to us all: Don’t seek spiritual fulfilment through wealth and power, but through the one who pours His love into our hearts (Romans 5:5).
Reflect & Pray
How do you see yourself imitating Charlie Kane? What spiritual need does God need to meet in you today? Loving God, please forgive my attempts to feel important through buying things or seeking praise. My spiritual need can only be met by You!
Sheridan Voysey
“我见日光之下有一件大祸患，就是财主人积聚钱财，反害自己。”（传道书 5:13 ）
今日经文：传道书 5章13-20 节
今日洞见：所罗门在传道书中试图解答人生意义这个令人困惑的问题。他指出，没有上帝的人生在“日光之下”是虚空和无满足、悲惨和无意义的（见1:3、13-14；12:8）。然后，他解释了上帝如何、以及为何必须融入我们的生活（2:24-26；3:11-14；5:7、18-20）。他探讨了人的成就、快乐和追求智慧（1-2章）；人存在于单调乏味的世俗中去经历生活（3章）；以及人在社会和社群中的互动（4章）。虽然，通过辛勤的工作积累财富本身并没有错，但纯粹追求物质却会给人带来幻灭和绝望（5-6章）。但敬畏和虔诚敬拜上帝的人（5:1-7）会看到并享受他劳动的成果，这是上帝的恩赐（18-20节）。所罗门为我们提供了这条充实人生的秘诀：“敬畏上帝，谨守祂的诫命，因为这是人所当尽的本分”（12:13）。
今日灵修 经典电影《公民凯恩》的主角查尔斯·福斯特·凯恩通过建立报业帝国积累了财富和权力。这个故事让人想起传道书2:4-11，凯恩没有放纵自己去寻欢作乐，他建造了一座拥有宏伟花园的城堡，花园里摆满了艺术珍品。和其他的大亨一样，凯恩真正想要的是奉承。他自掏腰包经营自己的政治生涯，失败后却将失败归咎于选民“欺诈”以挽回面子。他为妻子建了一座歌剧院，却强迫她从事一份对她并不合适的歌唱事业，这样做的目的是让自己看起来不错。凯恩的故事也与《传道书》相呼应，书中写道，财富会伤害那些追逐和囤积财富的人（5:10-15），让他们“在黑暗中饱受折磨”（5:17）。查理·凯恩在生命的尽头，独自一人住在那座城堡里，孤独而愤怒。《公民凯恩》的结尾揭示，查理儿时失去的父母之爱，他的追求是为了填补他内心这个空缺。我能够想象《传道书》的作者会同意这个解释。
我们的父神“将永生安置在世人心里”（3:11），唯有与父神同在，才能享受生命（2:25）。查理·凯恩的警世故事提醒我们所有人：不要藉着财富和权力寻求心灵的满足，要倚靠那位将他的爱倾注在我们心里的主（罗马书 5:5）。
反思与祷告 你是否看到自己在效仿查理·凯恩？上帝今天需要满足你哪些属灵的需要？慈爱的上帝，请原谅我试图通过购物或寻求他人的赞美来感受自身的重要。我属灵的需要唯有祢才能满足！ 谢里丹·沃伊西