How do you go with being happy with “one handful”?

I finished teaching the book of Ecclesiastes today.

As usual, it has left me with much to think about. I really think Ecclesiastes is one of the most important, and yet misunderstood books in the bible.

As I was saying in my previous post, Solomon “tries on” a whole lot of different worldviews in the search for what life is actually about.

It’s interesting when he looks at how the economy works…

He says in 4:4

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

In many ways he is right. Our whole economic system is based on envy, on the desire to have more.

He goes on to look at three approaches to work…

Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.
Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.

He’s saying that some people are so foolish and full of themselves that they don’t work at all, and the result is a car crash of a life.

Others, he points out, are happy to have “one handful”, are able to be happy with what they have and can live a life of peace.

He seems to indicate though that many of us are chasing two handfuls, and our life is just hard work, chasing after the wind.

There is something important about putting work in it’s right perspective.

How do you go with being happy with “one handful”?