Fool (Ecclesiastes 10)
We all know that wisdom is the better choice between wisdom and foolishness, but sometimes foolishness seems like the better choice. How many times have you chosen to do something foolish when you knew that you should be doing something else?
Perhaps everyone around us chooses to do something foolish, and we fall under pressure. Or maybe you want to buy something or do something you've never had or done before. Inside you know it's pointless, but you try anyway. On more than one occasion, I made a rash decision and regretted it or allowed my emotions to dictate what I would say or do.
We have plenty of opportunities to be foolish, and sometimes we will take them, but hopefully, we are learning to stop. Why? Solomon tells us why.
Thus far in Ecclesiastes, Solomon has revealed that everything is pointless under the sun. He is not just cynical. He describes why everything is pointless over and over again. If you are looking at life without considering the heavenly realities, that is, to focus only on life under the sun, cynicism is our only option. Everything we do will only result in nothing. One day, sooner or later, we will all lose what we love or the joy of our pursuits. One day, we will die by time and chance or as God appoints it. There is nothing we can do to avoid this truth.
So, tonight, I want us to look at the foolishness and see what Solomon says about it. Then, we will look at wisdom and consider the role wisdom plays for us according to the New Testament. We will see that there are heavenly realities that we are called to live in light of.
Folly Ruins Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 10:1--3 (ESV) --- 1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. 3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
In the first three verses, we will compare wisdom and folly. Folly is just another word for foolishness. He says a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. As I was studying this, I heard a story about Albert Einstein. He was teaching class, and he started writing out multiplication tables. He started with 9x1=9, then 9x2=18, and went to 9x10. But he said 9x10=91. The whole class laughed at him for making the mistake. Then, he pointed out that no one congratulated him for doing the nine problems right, but they quickly mocked him for what he did wrong. This is what this text is saying.
The image is of a fly ruining a perfumer's ointment. If a fly gets in there and dies, it can ruin the whole batch. When we work hard, pursue wisdom, and do as much good as possible in life. We might find honor and glory from that, but it only takes one misstep to bring our accomplishments crashing down.
Next, he says choosing wisdom takes us in the right direction. If we have wisdom, our heart's desires are in the right direction. But if we are foolish, our hearts lead us away from what is right.
Then, he says we can tell a fool by how he walks. If I am foolish, it's apparent that I am. We lack sense, and it becomes evident before everyone that we are foolish.
Overall, foolishness ruins our lives, and it ruins our wisdom. If we choose to be foolish, we lose honor. We get off track and lose the respect of those around us.
Folly on the Throne
Ecclesiastes 10:4--7 (ESV) --- 4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. 5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
In the next section, he discusses how to deal with foolish people in authority and the injustice of it. Have you ever dealt with a foolish boss, parent, or law enforcement officer?
Verse 4 says, "Do not leave your place, for calmness will lay offenses to rest." When a ruler becomes angry (a sign of foolishness), the best course of action is to remain calm and refuse to elevate things.
Why would Solomon say that? The person in authority has all the power, and we will tend to defend ourselves and become offended. When we go on the offensive, we will provoke greater foolishness and wrath.
Verses 5-6 tell us that many rulers are foolish. It's an evil that exists on the earth that we cannot change. We just have to be careful not to provoke their wrath. Wisdom helps us to succeed in dealing with foolish leaders. Foolishness could result in death.
How true is this in our society? People aren't inherently wise or just because they have power and authority. The TV tells us about many foolish people ruling our nation in both primary parties. Solomon advises us to keep our place or foolishly try to oppose them.
Folly At Work
Ecclesiastes 10:8--11 (ESV) --- 8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. 10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. 11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.
The following section is about the dangers of being foolish when we work. Have you ever done something foolish while you are working?
We could be doing something mundane and ordinary, but if we do it foolishly, we could suffer significant harm. The person digging a pit, demoing a house, splitting firewood, or breaking rocks could easily cause them great harm.
This reminds me of my younger years. I worked for my brother installing hardwood floors, tile, and laminate. As I learned how to work the saws, I was told stories about foolish people who cut off multiple hands because they were doing drugs while working. One guy lost all four fingers on one hand. You can't just sew them back on. They don't grow back.
When we are foolish, we are in danger of suffering, and it's all our fault. I like the wisdom of verse 10. He says, "If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength." This is true in every aspect of our labor. There are things that we need to do to make our life easier. We must be aware of life's complex parts and take a little time out to sharpen our edge. Foolishness is continuing to swing that axe and hit that tree without making a dent in it.
The last verse of this section talks about a snake charmer. This guy has spent his life learning how to do this, but if the snake bites him before he charms it, all that work is for nothing. He's dead. I think the point of this is to say some jobs are just foolish. How could we be so proud and bold as to think we can charm a snake? That's about the most foolish thing to me. Maybe that's not Solomon's point, but that's what I'm thinking.
Overall, he wants us to consider the dangers and the disadvantages of foolishness. It makes life worse.
Foolish Mouths
Ecclesiastes 10:12--14 (ESV) --- 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. 14 A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?
Now, he turns to our words. Have you ever spoken foolishly? Who hasn't? Foolish speaking is hard to avoid throughout life. It's the easiest thing to do. Solomon says wise words win us favor, but foolish words consume us. That's so true. When we speak foolishly, it consumes the goodness in our life.
If we speak critically all the time to our spouse, it will consume our love. If we speak bitterly to our children, it will consume their respect. The fool's mouth runs on and on to the point of madness. He speaks and speaks, multiplying his words about things he doesn't understand.
I love verse 14. He says, "Though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?" Fools claim to know the future. They are proud and arrogant. They consider their minds superior to everyone else, and it's hard to deal with them.
Have you ever been stuck listening to a foolish person? Maybe that's how you feel right now. I hope not. But the fool runs his mouth and destroys his relationships. No one wants to be friends with a fool who doesn't know how to listen.
We have to be careful not to speak too much.
Proverbs 17:28 (ESV) --- 28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 18:2 (ESV) --- 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
If we don't want to be considered a fool, we can keep our mouths shut and ears open. We can keep our opinions to ourselves and seek to understand before we seek to be understood.
Foolishness Makes Life Hard
Ecclesiastes 10:15--18 (ESV) --- 15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. 16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! 17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18 Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
In this final section, we learn about the miserable life of a fool. Have you ever suffered as a result of being foolish and lazy?
He says fools are always exhausted because they make life hard on themselves. Verse 15 says, "he does not know the way to the city." How does someone not know the way to the city? They are too lazy to go.
This section also talks about kings who feast in the morning. That's not the proper time to feast. It indicates that the ruler feasts all day instead of working for the people. The king who feasts at the proper time is feasting for strength and not to get drunk.
Then, he says that the roof will sink in because of sloth and "indolence' which means idleness or inactivity.
What Should We Do?
Everything in this chapter perfectly aligns with what God wants his children to know. We aren't saved so we could be foolish. He wants us to learn his wisdom and become fruitful in life. Thankfully, wisdom is available through prayer and the study of God's word.
When tempted to act foolishly, we need to remember that the outcome will not be as good as we had hoped. We need to make wise decisions in life, decisions that promote good relationships and more effective work. Foolish decisions could end our lives or cause us tremendous pain and suffering. It doesn't matter how wise we have been in our lives. A little bit of foolishness can bring it all tumbling down. Why would we willingly make our lives difficult? There is no sense in that.
We would especially do well to watch our tongues and attitudes when we are around people in authority. Those who have power over us can make life miserable. If they offend us, we must maintain purity and righteousness, remaining calm so they see we are blameless.
But the most important thing of all is to be wise concerning salvation. God has revealed to us his plan since the beginning of time. Now the wise will submit to Christ. They look at the evidence and conclude that He is God's son. He is the one who offered the perfect sacrifice for our sins. You can have all the wisdom in the world, choose to reject Christ, and be the biggest fool. What will you do with this information?