Have a great weekend!
Ecclesiastes 10 feels a lot like the Book of Proverbs in its list of similes and analogies about the wise and the foolish. Let’s start with the foolish – because that’s what the writer does.
Picture of a foolish person
A little foolishness goes a long way – like dead flies in a jar of perfume. However wise and honourable you have been in your life, a moment’s foolishness can taint all that in an instant.
In everything a foolish person does – even walking along the street – they show how stupid they are.
When fools are put in positions of great responsibility, it’s never going to end well.
Whatever you do, there’s always a risk, always a consequence. If you dig a hole, it might be you that falls in.
Fools speak too much. Far too much.
Hard work leaves a fool exhausted and even less able to make good decisions.
A foolish leader with no discipline who over-indulges will affect how the whole country is run.
A fool is not careful to watch what he says, even in secret – you never ever know who might be listening.
Picture of a wise person
A wise person seeks the right path and walks along it.
If someone gets angry with you, don’t react. A little calmness goes a long way to diffusing an argument.
Wisdom is not always rewarded – we saw that yesterday.
If we use wisdom in any situation we face, we will stay safe and do the task well.
Words from the mouth of the wise spread grace – we become a grace dispenser, as my friend Joe is fond of saying.
It’s OK to admit we don’t know what the future holds. Of course it is. Who does?
If a leader is disciplined and eats good food when they need to eat, then the whole country will be blessed and follow that example.
As I said, very much like the pictures of the wise and foolish depicted in the Proverbs.
One final thought –
A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything. Ecclesiastes 10:19
What’s this verse saying? Contrary to all that has gone before? Is money all that matters? Is life just about eating and drinking then? Is ‘eat, drink and be merry’ really to be our motto for life?
The Bible Guide by Andrew Knowles simply says ‘Everything has a purpose: feasting covers sadness and money covers need.’ To be honest, I don’t see how he draws that simply from that verse. I guess he’s putting the verse in the context of the whole chapter – which is always a good thing.
This is that same verse in The Message –
Laughter and bread go together,
And wine gives sparkle to life—
But it’s money that makes the world go around.
The Benson Commentary makes an interesting point. It is good to eat together and laugh together – not the empty laughter of fools, but the rich, authentic laughter of friends in real community. Wine exhilarates the mind – up to a point. After that point, it does the opposite! And money is needed to provide the feast, but it’s needed for everything else in life too, so don’t go mad and waste all the money on partying and have nothing left for the rest.
Sounds like pretty sound advice for the weekend ahead, if you ask me!
TO DO: Have a great weekend. Spend time with friends. Real friends that you can have a real laugh with. Enjoy some good food and drink with people you care about (but know when to stop – with both! After that point, it ceases to be good!). Use your money wisely to have fun this weekend, without leaving you short for the rest of the month.
