Appetite to be Satisfied for All (Ecc 6: 7-9)

APPETITE TO BE SATISFIED FOR ALL (Ecc 6: 7-9): 

After looking at the grievance of no enjoyment and satisfaction during life on earth, the author conveys that all the toil of man is just for his mouth. A man toils very hard in all his labor on earth for the food and drink, for finding satisfaction in his work.  

If the man couldn’t satisfy himself with the food and drink through his hard work, there is no advantage for his living, though a person could be a wise man or a fool. Because, the differences in knowledge, position, wealth, and any factor could not be a criterion for distinguishing a person for being advantageous when there is no joy in the essence of their lives, by having good physical and mental health. The author makes it clear with a rhetorical question and he also adds that even if a poor man who knows how to make his living before others but couldn’t enjoy the fruits of his labor, there is no advantage in it. The author conveys it through another question. Though the life of poor people is difficult with fewer opportunities and facilities to make life easier, every human being could scale up by trying out novel things. Everyone whether rich or poor could only get satisfaction and joy through Godly principles, as God holds everything in His hands.  

There are many dreams and wishes that differ widely for all individuals. Everyone aspires to be or become something in their life. The author who had been king over Jerusalem had many opportunities and he achieved most of his strivings, but couldn’t find real meaning and direction in it, without God. So, the author says that it is better to focus on the things that are before the eyes of the person so that he knew and get satisfied than to strive for something that would happen in the future with the wandering and appetite. Striving towards a good cause is good but we are not very sure about the future and it would be meaningless and directionless to just concentrate only towards the future, which would be striving after wind without finding satisfaction in the present.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    Why does a person primarily toil?

2.    What does the author say about a person whose appetite is not satisfied?

3.    Does wise man have any advantage over fool when unsatisfied? Justify?

4.    Does a poor man who found a way for his living has an advantage when unsatisfied? Justify?

5.    What is better than a wandering appetite?

6.    Why sight of the eyes is better than wandering of appetite?

7.    Why does the author say that the wandering of appetite is like striving after wind?

8.    How we could find satisfaction in appetite?