Ecclesiastes 5:10-17

1. Read Ecclesiastes 5:10–12. The Preacher wastes no time giving us his conclusion about the love of money. What do you think it means to “love money”?
2. Do you have to be exorbitantly wealthy to qualify as a lover of money? Yes or no? Explain.
3. Ecclesiastes 5:11–12 speaks to the increase of anxieties and complications that accompany growing in wealth. This is the paradox of riches: as possessions increase, so do your liabilities. More money, more problems. Describe some of the ways money has made your life more (not less) complicated.
4. Read Ecclesiastes 5:13–17. In this passage, Qoheleth outlines the case study of a man who endured much hardship to gain great wealth. But in a moment, his riches evaporated like the visible vapor of breath on a cold day. He was never able to enjoy his riches or do anything meaningful with them. Even worse, he had a family he failed to provide for. The language and imagery of Ecclesiastes 5:13–17 seem to echo in 1 Timothy 6. Read 1 Timothy 6:2–10. Do you ever feel strongly tempted by the temptation named in 1 Timothy 6:9? If so, why do you think that is particularly tempting to you personally?
5. The love of money is a soul killer. Money is a resource given by God but a deadly substitute for God. Whether we have little or we have much, the danger we all face is the same: developing a love of money at the expense of our love for God. Money can never give you what God only offers in Himself. Spend some time thinking deeply about the exhortation given in 1 Timothy 6:6–10. What would it look like for you to experience “godliness with contentment” in this season of life, regardless of how much money you have?