Horace Greeley wrote, "Fame is vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings and fly and those who cheer you today may curse you and stab you tomorrow." There is much truth in those words. The conclusion of this thought is written in the book of Ecclesiastes 1:2. "Vanity of vanities," says the preacher, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." But surely there is something that is of value. Surely it is good to do whatever lies before our hands with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). What is that elusive something that life is all about?

There may be variations of responses to this question, but at the end of his note, Horace Greeley stated, "Then there is only one thing left—that is character."  The Bible agrees with him in that it states that the conclusion of the whole matter is: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all." What a simple and yet profound response to living. We are to work, earn wages, enjoy life—but only if our thoughts and actions are good in the sight of God. The only thing left is character—that is the development of God's character (2 Peter 1:4).