God gives people gifts so that we can thank him and enjoy them. If all a person does is work hard labor to obtain more and thus does not enjoy the gifts of God and thank him, then it would be better if that person had not been born. Even if rich people live many years without experiencing anything good, don’t they die worse than a stillborn who at least was in peace? This is the sum of verses 3 thru 6.
Yet what are gifts of God? Do we just work to eat? Everything we work hard for goes into our mouths and yet we are not satisfied (7). There are many short-lived rewards of life such as this. Satisfying the seven senses is ever-increasing labor when it is a person’s sole goal. For the senses can never satisfy the soul with a dead spirit. The brain demands the senses to seek for more as it searches to awaken the dead spirit that its senses, yet does not comprehend. Short-lived rewards are not our chief end, though they are meant to be gifts.
“The gift (fruit) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–25).
