Observations of Society 

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:1-16.

Memory Verse: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

INTRODUCTION: One day in Springfield, Illinois, a neighbor of President Lincoln's was drawn to his door by the sound of crying children. He saw Lincoln passing by with his two children, both pleading and whining. "What is the matter with the children?" asked the man. "The same that is the matter with the whole world!" answered Lincoln. "I have three walnuts, and each child wants two."
  Isn't that true of our world? Our human desires lust for more than we need and we never even consider our fellow man as we seek to fulfill our selfish desires.
  As Christians, though, our first thoughts should be towards others. Our desires should be to meet the needs of others first, and then ourselves. Too often we are complacent towards our fellow man, while we bestow goods and favors lavishly upon ourselves.
  The fable of the fox and the wolf aptly illustrates the selfish nature of the world, which the Christian should strive to avoid. It seems a fox was peering into a well from which people drew water by lowering an empty bucket, and pulling up the full one that was at the bottom. By accident the fox fell into the empty bucket and found itself at the bottom of the well. It made a lot of noise trying to get out. A wolf, hearing the noise, looked down and said to the fox, "What are you doing, my firiend?" "I'm catching fish," was the sly answer; "Come down to help me." "How can I?" asked the wolf. "Jump into that bucket up there and you'll be down here in a moment." The foolish wolf obeyed, and because it was heavier than the fox it went down and the fox came up and started to run away. "Are you leaving me down here?" cried the wolf. But the fox answered slyly, "That's the way of the world, my friend; when one goes up, the other goes down."

LESSON QUESTIONS:

1. What was the preacher's assessment of the usual way most people treat others, and why do they rarely find relief? Eccl. 4:1; Prov. 28:15; Ex. 1:14,22; James 5:4.

2. Who did David turn to when he was being oppressed? Ps. 17:8-15; Ps. 103:6.

3. Why do you think the preacher makes such a startling conclusion of the situation? Eccl. 4:2,3; Job 3:1-13.

4. What can a man expect on this earth for his hard work and accomplishments? Eccl. 4:4; Gal. 5:26.

5. What advice does the preacher give about being satisfied with the earnest labor of our hands? Eccl. 4:5,6; 1 Tim. 6:6-12.

6. What is the preacher's evaluation of a lonely life? Eccl. 4:7,8; Ps. 142:4; John 5:7.

7. What value is placed upon devoted friendship and unity? Eccl. 4:9-12; 1 Pet. 3:8.

8. Comparing wisdom to kingly authority, which is better? Eccl. 4:13,14.

9. What observation does the preacher make about popularity? Eccl. 4:15,16.