Description
Exploring Envy and Work through Ecclesiastes 4:4
In this episode, we reflect on Ecclesiastes 4:4 and its insights on wo… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Ecclesiastes, chapter 4, verse 4. Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature, and it’s provocative. It’s intended to make us think. What is it about us working that is associated to envying our neighbour?
How often in our work, whether that be schoolwork, university work, or paid work, how often do we compare ourselves with our peers? Do we compare ourselves with those we consider to be junior or senior? And how often is that the reason why we put more or less effort into our work?
The writer of Ecclesiastes says, that’s pointless.
