As we close out the week and get ready to spend some time with our loved ones, Solomon’s thoughts give us some insight on why we should enjoy those closest to us, here Solomon blasts the one who chooses not to have anyone close to him, in other words, the greedy miser who wants to hoard everything to themselves:  

Ecc 4:7  I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun.

Ecc 4:8  This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.

That’s a great question Solomon is asking here.  What is the point of living on an island unto yourself and sacrificing our time to work day and night when no one else is going to benefit from it?  The man of solitude has no one to pass his assets onto, no siblings and no kids, so  Solomon asks, what is the point?!  Indeed, a frustrating situation because we can’t take any of that money, wealth and assets with us when we die!  

Something to ponder on this Mother’s day weekend, let’s make sure we don’t spend it alone, but in fellowship with our family and friends, and not be like the man of solitude that Solomon portrays today.