For Kids · 3 min with a grown-up
The wise Teacher keeps looking for what makes life good. In this chapter he notices something sad — and points us toward what really makes a heart happy.
Today's Story
The Teacher saw something that made him stop and think.
He knew a man who had everything. A big house. Plenty of food. Anything his heart could point at, he could have. You would think a person like that would be the happiest man alive!
But he wasn't. He couldn't enjoy a single bit of it. He looked at his full table and felt nothing. He looked at all his things and just wanted more. His hands were full, but his heart felt empty.
The Teacher shook his head. What good is a table full of food, he said, if you can't taste it? What good is a beautiful day if you never look up to enjoy it?
And here is the gentle truth he found: being able to enjoy your life is itself a gift from God. A happy heart doesn't come from having the most. It comes from God, who can take a small lunch and a plain day and fill them with more joy than a king ever felt.
A Big Word
Talk About It
- The man had everything but couldn't enjoy any of it. Have you ever had something you wanted, but it didn't make you as happy as you thought it would? What happened?
- What is something small and ordinary that brings you a lot of joy — maybe more than something big and expensive ever could?
- If joy is a gift from God, how could you ask Him for a happy, thankful heart today?