DISSATISFACTION
Ecclesiastes 2:1-23
Verse 3b: “I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.”
Mr. Robbins, Brad and Phillip’s 5th grade Sunday school teacher, asked a question as kids filed inside the classroom. “If you were the richest person in the world, would you be happy? Write your answers on the chalkboard.”
Brad wrote, “Yes!”
Phillip wrote, “Yes!!”
Darby wrote, “Yes!!!”
Elieta wrote, “Yes!!!!”
Melanie wrote, “Yes!!!!!”
“I see that you are all in increasingly excited agreement” Mr. Robbins said. “I don’t have a pot of gold for you today, but I do have something for you to read.”
After the kids read Ecclesiastes 2:1-23 silently, Mr. Robbins said, “King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. In fact, “he was greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem” as you read in Ecclesiastes 2:9. Can you sense his desperation in finding something worthwhile in this life?”
Darby said, “He sounds like he wasn’t happy at all!”
“He does sound like he wanted to find one thing that would satisfy him, doesn’t he?” Mr. Robbins said. “You would think that building the awesome temple for the Lord would have been his crowning achievement. But even that didn’t satisfy his longing. He devoted himself to finding one thing—from wine to sex, from pleasing his every whim to hard labor—everything rewarded him with only disappointment in the end. Why do you think this is? What do you think this tells us?”
Phillip said, “He realized that after he died, someone else would take over, without having earned anything.”
Melanie said, “He never appreciated his blessings.”
Elieta said, “He sounds like a spoiled brat to me.”
Brad said, “Solomon was looking for satisfaction in the wrong places.”
“Very good, class! All your answers also tells me a great deal about how you would answer, ‘what this tells us.’ Where do you think we should look for satisfaction, Brad?”
Brad looked back at the Bible passage he just read. “I don’t see where Solomon did anything for someone else; it was all for his pleasure.”
“I think you’re onto something, Brad. Check out chapter12, verse 13. “Now that all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For He will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Take Home Nugget
Satisfaction only comes to people who align their lives with God’s will—anything else ends in dissatisfaction, unmet goals.
Surrender to God for guidance from above,
Trusting him for life’s direction.
Depending on His daily leading and love
Gladly accepts His course correction.
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
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