Our Meaning comes from Jesus

Article for August 3, 2025

Ecclesiastes 1:12–14 12I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. . . .

We still do not prosper from what we learn about our history.  “This too is vanity.  The question asked is, why are we here?  The answer alludes us because we do not learn from our past and we do not study the Holy Scriptures well. 

When you are lost you do not know which way to go to get unlost.  When you feel you have no meaning in your life, you also do not know which way to go to get meaning.  Many try to go with the worldly things thinking that the world will give them meaning in their lives.  This is where drugs, alcohol, and gender change come into one’s life.

We have a generation that feels lost, they do not know what to do.  And worse they feel it is the sole responsibility of others to give them an identity.  Lost identity, meaningful life, watching others as they spiral out of the life they had.  It is a scary thing to watch, and this too is chasing the wind.

King Solomon writes ‘Vanity, vanity, all is vanity and a chasing of the wind,’ (paraphrased).  We have created a problem, and we can’t fix it on our own.  Our churches are becoming smaller and those still going to church don’t want to put in the work to grow the church because they too are walking in the fog of the world.  We are chasing the wind and don’t know where it came from or where it is going.

Ecclesiastes 2:18–19 18I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, 19and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.

If we think that life is in vain then we to have become lost.  We think we are the most important one in our life and everyone else around us is what brings our life meaning.  It is this very mindset that makes the next generation wonder if they too can create meaning in their lives by the same means.  What if one can’t surround themselves with others who will find them worthy of their presence?  This too is a chasing of the wind.

We have a shortage of labor in our country and wonder why.  I was taught by my parents if I wanted anything in life I had to work for it.  An honest day’s labor gives an honest day’s wages.  This is not taught in the home or in the schools anymore, or so it seems.

We have failed our children and maybe our grandchildren.  But this failing is more than what we did not teach our children.  This failure was created by giving our children too much, thinking they would be better off than we were.  That did not work too well.

Have you ever followed the history of a family-owned business?   The founder of the company worked hard to make his business successful.  And he gave his children everything they wanted and did not expect them to have to earn their way.  The founder and owner of the family-business dies and leaves his business to his children who never worked a day in their lives.  What do you think happened to that business?  This too is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:20–21 20So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

The evil is that the owner of the company did not bring his children up to be able to take responsibility for keeping the business running.  The lack of self-worth was taken from the owner’s children by the owner himself as he did not teach them self-worth.  One who works hard and teaches his trade to others, and the next generation has a worth that can be passed on and that worth can live in others then.

Having mentors in one’s life is better than just going to a school.  Not that one does not need the schooling, but that mentored people get on the job guidance and encouragement.  But even this could be meaningless if the mentor is one who is lost too.  We have left much behind and labeled it as unimportant.  We followed the world instead of following God.  This too is vanity and a chasing of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:24–26 24There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Our meaning of life and our self-worth is found in one place and that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Jesus came to live with us and see how we felt when we were sad, oppressed, suffering and hurting, and lost.  Our Lord and savior came to find us and mend our hearts and give us self-worth through our God.  Jesus came to give us meaning to our life here on this earth that will carry on in the next life. 

The meaning of life is Jesus Christ who came to save the sinner, and all oppressed by sin.  Jesus is life and a life given for our God who created us to love and to love back.  Our self-worth is that Jesus died for our sins, that is, Jesus thinks of all of us as worthwhile to die for and save.  Jesus gave us worth as He suffered and died and then gave us meaning as He was resurrected to show us the way to be God’s children forever and ever.  What is the meaning of life?  The joy of our God in us, and our joy in Him.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May