“Meaningless!  Meaningless!” says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless!”  This is the second verse of chapter one in the Book of Ecclesiastes.  It's enough to make you stop reading.  What's the point in continuing?

In The Message, Eugene Peterson sticks closer to the literal meaning: “Smoke!  Smoke!” says the Quester.  “Nothing but smoke!  It’s all smoke!”

Sometimes the Teacher calls the good things in life—work, pleasure, money, friendship—“gifts” (3:13).  Sometimes he refers to them as “burdens” (3:10).  Either way, if the gifts or burdens become the point of life, we are left asking ourselves, “What’s the point?”  The meaningless or emptiness we feel in one area may send us looking elsewhere for meaning and substance.

For example, if a husband and wife are not getting along and are at odds with each other, he may spend more time at the office burying himself in work.  That way he is able to avoid her (a source of disappointment) while pursuing something that he thinks will satisfy him (achievement).  Achievement may not do it either, so he might turn to the physical and emotional thrill of pornography, thinking that this secret pleasure will fill the empty spot.  He does this, however, while remaining buried in work pursuing achievement. 

Meanwhile, the wife might spend extra time with “the girls,” attempting to fill the emptiness in a ladies’ night out circle of friends.  Or she too might try to achieve more, attempting to become Super Mom.  When this turns out to be smoke, she tries to light a fire in the shopping mall, treating herself to a new summer wardrobe and more frequent beautification of her nails, face, and hair.

Now, the things that each of these desperate people do to satisfy are not of themselves bad.  We must remember that in their purest forms marriage, sex, children, friendships, work, and possessions are gifts given by God for our enjoyment and His glory (and joy).  It’s just that these things are not the ultimate givers of joy and satisfaction and meaning.  God is.  And when we are being filled by and with God—connected to Him, pursuing Him, growing more in love with Him—we somehow find ourselves experiencing joy and satisfaction and meaning despite our circumstances, rather than because of them.  And when the Giver is the substance, the gifts don't seem so empty, so smoky.    

In Ecclesiastes we learn that if the gifts become our life’s ambition more so than the Giver, we have missed the point, and most often enjoy neither.