Ecclesiastes 8

In this chapter, Solomon continues his theme that life isn’t fair: “There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (vs 14-15)

This, of course, is nothing new. Solomon’s father, David, asked, “Why do the wicked prosper?” more than once. Seems like nothing had changed very much, and looking around at today’s world, it seems like things are pretty much the same. Yet the general belief that “good” things should happen to “good” people and “bad” things should happen to “bad” people still persists. If it didn’t, why would we be puzzled when “bad” things happen to “good” people?

Things in this world just aren’t that tidy. Although we think it should work differently, often those who are most wicked seem to enjoy the most prosperity. But I think that consideration carries an important lesson, one that Solomon may have been trying to get at: The reason to be righteous is not because it brings some sort of external reward—such as a prolonged life.

If you’re being righteous because you believe you’re going to “get” something out of it, you may want to stop and consider if that’s really righteousness in the first place! If the only reason you’ve signed up for righteousness is because you think that’s how you will get to the “good” life here on earth, you might want to think again. Rather, Solomon says, you may just end up getting what the wicked “deserve” instead.

That’s when it’s helpful to remember that God is in control. Often, it can look to us like evil is running rampant and has taken over the place—dishing out “bad” stuff to the “good” people and vice versa. But God is still in control. He is still in His heaven, and all is right on time in His universe.

So, if you’ve signed up for righteousness only to get a certain short-term reward, you may be disappointed. Righteousness does have its rewards—but they are often not the ones we anticipate! So, if you feel like you’re living a righteous life and reaping the rewards of the wicked instead, trust God with that. He is still in control, and He is working out the best good He can for everyone—even those wicked people who have already gotten what you “deserved”!