A sign by the roadside

A sign by the roadside carried this message:


"I am getting sick of the rat race. The rats keep getting bigger and faster."

Many of us, no doubt, feel that way. Inspite of the advances in technology, our frustration level seems as high or higher than ever. The core problem is that sinful human nature has not changed.

Almost 3,000 years ago, Solomon made three insightful observations about the rat race of life in his day.

First he said that a desire to outdo one's peers was the motive behind much human industriousness, and this was a no-win situation.

"Then I saw that all toil and skillful work is the rivalry of one man for
another. This is also vanity and a chase after wind."
((Ecclesiastes 4:4)

Second, those who dropped out of the rat race became lazy and unproductive. This kind of idleness is foolish and self-destructive.

"The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh."
(v.5)

Third, Solomon said that people became so obsessed with making money that they did not form healthy relationships. This made them go through life without purpose or meaning, never satisfied with all they had worked for.

"....a solitary man with no companion; with neither a son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his toil, and riches do not satisfy his greed.".(v. 8)

Let us remember,

"Better is one handful with tranquility than two with toil and a chase
after the ." (v.6)

To avoid compulsive grasping or self-destructive escapism, let us put God as the center of our life and be thankful for what He has given us. Then we will succeed in the rat race of life.