Bible Passage: “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.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV)
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
If all a man does is work, life eventually starts to feel like a grind with no joy.
You wake up and go to work just to pay bills. You have to handle responsibilities, solve problems, then get a little sleep and repeat.
If you live that way long enough, you might eventually find yourself having an existential crisis and wondering, “Is this really all there is to life?”
Men need responsibility, sure, but we also need joy.
Laughter is a gift. We need to learn to see enjoyment as a blessing. Scripture doesn’t portray every form of pleasure as wrong or suspicious. In fact, Ecclesiastes repeatedly reminds us that our ability to enjoy the ordinary gifts of life comes from God.
I’m not advocating that we prioritize leisure at the expense of responsibility. A man who constantly runs from responsibility in pursuit of entertainment isn’t practicing self-care or strengthening himself (quite the opposite). He’s practicing irresponsibility.
But the opposite extreme isn’t healthy either; sometimes, a guy needs to play.
Watch the game with your friends. Play an instrument. Go fishing. Take your kids somewhere fun. Take your wife out on a date. Laugh loudly with people you love. Learn to receive good things with gratitude rather than guilt.
There’s something beautiful about play because it reminds us that we’re more than what we can produce. Brothers, your value can’t be measured by your productivity or your salary or your title or how many items you can cross off your list today.
God could have created a world that was basic, with just enough for survival. But instead, He filled it with delicious food, beautiful music, friendship, laughter, mountains, oceans, animals, and countless other things that exist simply for His glory and our enjoyment.
So work hard. Fulfill your responsibilities. Be a good provider and strong protector. But, brothers, occasionally put the tools down and pick up a baseball bat; let yourself have a good time, because life is also meant to be enjoyed.
Prayer: Father, thank You for every good gift You have placed in my life. Protect me from laziness and escapism, but also from becoming so consumed by responsibility that I forget how to enjoy Your many joyful blessings. Amen.
Reflection: What is something wholesome that genuinely brings you joy that you have stopped making time for? Make some time for it this week!
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