The evil things that humans do to each other is a hallmark of our broken world. At the start of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, Solomon considers the great evil of powerful people oppressing the vulnerable and weak. He dwells on the tragedy that the oppressed have no comforter — no one to help them and care for them.

When we look around us at the evil in the world today, we may be driven to the same conclusion as Solomon: Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun (Ecc. 4:2–3).

Only the stillborn child has never experienced or witnessed the evil that people afflict on one another. The rest of us either try to ignore the News headlines featuring murder, rape, robbery and war, or file it in the “things I can do nothing about” category. A few become activists and try to fight the evil that they find to be most terrible, only to be overwhelmed by it.

In light of Solomon’s overarching question in this book: “what is the meaning of life?”, we see that being a social justice warrior is not the answer. Comforting the oppressed and standing up for the vulnerable are noble actions, but devoting your life to this purpose will soon burn you out. The evil in this world is like a raging forest fire, and all you have to fight it with is a little bucket.

Once we understand that we cannot change the dire state of the world, we may be tempted to swing to the other extreme. Instead of living to help others, we could live to help ourselves. From socialism to capitalism, if you will. This option is the very next thing Solomon addresses: Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind (Ecc. 4:4).

The cut-throat competitiveness of business (and other forms of competition) boils down to jealousy and selfishness. We work harder, amass greater wealth, and outdo our competitors. Yet this path is “grasping for the wind” — no matter how big the company gets, or how much money one makes, it never satisfies. This is captured by John D. Rockefeller’s famous response to a reporter who asked him how much money was enough: “just a little bit more”.

There is nothing inherently bad about doing business and being successful in any career. The problem arises when you devote your life to it. Ultimately, this obsession leads to loneliness: There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune (Ecc. 4:8).

This world is a mess, we are messy, and there seems to be no way out — nothing we can do will solve it or make ourselves feel better within it. Since Solomon “praises the dead” who no longer have to experience this world, perhaps the only way out is suicide? Tragically, many have come to this conclusion. Yet, even in the most despondent parts of Ecclesiastes, he offers a glimmer of hope — there is something that makes life worth living.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecc.4:9–12).

The antidote to loneliness is the close bond of friendship. The best way to fight against oppression is to stand together in solidarity. When we love one another and help each other through this life, we start to see rays of light from another kingdom that illuminate the darkness of this world.

Humans are made to develop meaningful relationships that go beyond meeting physical needs. Marriage is not solely about procreation, and real friendships are not merely transactional. Bonds of love keep us from falling apart and help us to stand when we are on the verge of collapse.

As our Creator, God understands our need for loving relationships better than anyone. Through Jesus, He modeled what this love looks like: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). 

Real love is self-sacrificial. It should be the feature of marriage, as each spouse lays down their selfish desires for the sake of the other. It should also be a feature of the church, as we help each other, even when the timing is inconvenient or the price is high.

We cannot deny that this world is full of evil and oppression. Humanity has fallen and everyone knows it. Even if we devote our whole lives to fixing it, we will fail. Yet this should not push us to despair of life itself. Rather, we need to find the solution that God has provided for us.

The solution does not lie in either capitalism and socialism, or even mid-way between them, which would suggest that it is of a similar worldly nature to those two options. Instead, it lies beyond this world. Genuine, self-sacrificial love for one another has only one Source, and His kingdom is not of this world.