A Selfish Life Is a Life of Regret

Solomon killed his brother to secure the throne and came to possess wisdom, wealth and power in full. Once he realized how great that power was, he began to live for himself alone; even after building the temple and the palace his heart remained unsatisfied, and he went after women, wine and pleasure.

Because selfish people make themselves the center of life, they pay no heed to the hearts of others and so grow ever harder, and the more wealth and power they gain, the unhappier they become. The more they try to fill the heart with the things of this world, the emptier it grows, for sin becomes a habit until even the inner struggle first felt fades away and the thought of turning back no longer arises.

Only when he had grown old and lost his strength did Solomon kneel before God, realizing that though he had enjoyed every kind of riches and glory, the grace of God alone gives true happiness. No one should wait to stand at the edge of a cliff before seeing the danger, or to fall before knowing the pain; the moment sin is recognized, it must be turned from without delay, so that life may be lived without regret.