Wisdom and Foolishness

Over the last several weeks we have been looking at what it means to live wisely.

That’s the aim of Solomon’s approach in Ecc.

He’s Looking out at the reality of the world and seeing that there is a right an wrong way to live.

And in this mornings Scripture we are going to see the same thing.

But he’s going to go about describing wisdom in a different way.

Instead of saying the wise live this way.

He is going to tell us the fool lives that way.

And if we can rightly see the way the fool lives, then we will know the way that the wise lives, but doing the opposite.

It’s essentially Solomon saying, See that guy don’t do what he did.

It’s like as a parent.

When its right and appropriate you tell your kids, “Hey this is a dumb thing I did when I was your age, don’t do that thing.”

Don’t repeat the mistake of the fool.

It’s important for us to know the difference b/t wisdom and folly.

Between the wise and the fool

Now I want to take a minute and discuss the fool as he is talked about in wisdom literature.

And especially the wisdom literature of the Bible.

As followers of Jesus, we have the capacity to discern between what is good and what is bad.

Morality is easy to know and to see, especially when we know God’s standard for right and wrong, good and bad.

So it can be easy for us to make the right decisions when faced with the choice between good and bad.

However, this is often true for the non-believer.

Whether they like to admit it or not, they have a guide within themselves that tells them if something is morally abhorrent or not.

Often times though they, and we, can stifle the good decision with our own selfishness or social pressures and give into the bad instead of the good.

But that’s not necessarily a choice between wisdom and folly.

Rather it’s a choice between good and bad.

Though the two are closely tied together.

Moral Right and wrong are not necessarily the same as wisdom and folly in the wisdom literature of the Bible.

Wisdom and foolishness in the bible come from an attitude toward God.

That’s the starting place.

We all make morally bad choices but that doesn’t necessarily make us fools.

There’s some nuance to this idea.

What do I mean?

Wisdom and foolishness all boils down to who Fears the Lord.

The wise have respect, reverence, and a proper understanding of who God is.

While the fool lacks respect, reverence, and a proper perspective on God.

Ps 14.1 “1 The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.”

Now as this Psalm points out, the fool will do wicked, vile, and morally bad things, b/c of his heart position.

Foolishness plays itself out b/c of the position of the heart.

If you don’t fear God, you won’t heed his instruction.

And if you don’t heed his instruction, you will do wickedness.

But foolishness is not always tied to wickedness as a biblical idea.

The fool is characterized by “impulsive disobedience, self-centered arrogance, and rash disregard for the holiness of God.”

We have seen many things about the foolish in Ecc so far.

Ecc 4.5 “5 The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh.”

He’s lazy

Ecc 7.9 “9 Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.”

He’s ill-tempered

Ecc 2:14 “14 The wise person has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.”

He’s Morally Blind

Ecc 9.17 “17 The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.”

He doesn’t take advice from the wise.

So the fool is all around the person that we don’t want to emulate.

He stands against God’s design.

He never will live redemptively b/c it’s all about him.

In the Eyes of God, foolishness is stands against all of his standards and expectations.

But not only that, the fool is destructive to the world around him.

Ecclesiastes 10:1–3 CSB

1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2 A wise person’s heart goes to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. 3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool.

Look at Your Heart

Here Solomon wants us to see that foolishness and the fool spoil the world around them.

The fool’s heart heads in the wrong direction.

And everyone knows that the fool is a fool, even if he doesn’t know it himself.

First, folly or foolishness is equated to flies ruining a batch of perfume.

This verse is actually tied back to the end of Chapter 9

Ecc 9:18 “18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good.”

Here we see such destruction in the form of a metaphor.

The perfumer’s oil represents something of value.

Something worth while.

Something that takes time and energy to create.

But just something small.

Something seemingly insignificant can spoil all the efforts.

Foolishness can spoil the beauty.

Foolishness can spoil the work.

It takes far less to ruin something than it does to create it.

I remember something like this being taught when I was in youth group many years ago.

The Youth Pastor had a beautiful sandwich on the stage.

He asked if anyone wanted to eat it.

And as hungry teenagers, there was no shortage of hands raised.

Then he took something out of the trash.

It wasn’t anything super gross, I can’t remember exactly what it was.

But when he took it out of the trash, he put it on the sandwich.

Then he asked if anyone wanted to eat it now.

There wasn’t a hand raised.

A little bit of trash.

Ruined a perfectly good sandwich.

That’s the point Solomon is trying to get us to see here.

It doesn’t take complete destruction to ruin something beautiful.

It only takes a small thing to ruin it.

A fly in the ointment.

A hair in your meal.

An angry word to your kid or spouse.

A small deception at work.

It doesn’t take much to ruin something good.

This is also seen in the second phrase in v.1

Ecc 10:1 “1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”

Folly or foolishness has impacts that can’t really be comprehended.

They are so extensive that it can be mind boggling.

It only takes one bad or foolish decision to ruin a bunch of wisdom and honor.

We have seen and known men and women who have spoiled their whole reputation b/c of their foolishness.

We have seen marriages and friendships ruined b/c of a dash of foolishness.

But here’s the thing, the fool doesn’t care.

He couldn’t care less what impact his actions have on the world around him.

Why?

B/c he always listens to and follows his heart.

Ecc 10.2 “2 A wise person’s heart goes to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.”

Here Solomon talks about both the wise person and the fool’s heart.

But see they are going in different directions.

In Biblical theology, directions matter.

Going to the right means that someone/something is headed in the right direction.

The right side is one of prosperity and good fortune

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 10

The word right in the ancient world meant skillful, and the word left connoted ineptness and clumsiness

The right is a direction that moves toward God and the left is the directions that moves away from God.

But what’s driving them?

What is causing them to move one direction or the other?

Their heart.

Here in Ecc, this use of “the heart” means “the decision and direction of the will”

When the ancients would talk about the heart, they would mean the center of one’s being.

The very thing the determined their choices.

One theologian says that the heart is “The center of affection-the seat of knowledge-the source of purpose and emotion-the very soul of spiritual life.”

Here we see that the choices being made are in the opposite directions.

One way is driving the wise toward the faithful love of God, while the fool is moving toward the wickedness of self.

So to simply boil it down, the heart is the core of your being.

And your heart either loves God or it does not.

And that love for God or hatred of God will guide your decision making.

You will either move to the left or to the right.

Toward God or away from him.

So the natural question is: Which direction are you moving toward?

Which path are you on?

Are you traveling down the path that leads toward God?

Are you walking in his ways?

Are you moving toward discipleship?

Toward growing in you knowledge and love of Jesus Christ?

Are you traveling down that path that leads to living redemptively?

That makes the your life and the life of others better?

Are you building the kingdom of God, preaching the gospel, and communing with other believers?

Are you walking down the path that leads to life?

Or are you walking down the wrong path.

The path that leads to selfishness.

To self-preservation.

The path that causes ruin to your relationships.

The path that can’t see the bigger picture.

The path that may have a temporary purpose, but doesn’t have eternal purposes?

The state of your heart, the things you love will determine the path that you walk down.

If you love money, possessions, and your self, you are walking down the path of destruction.

You are walking toward ruin.

You are an enemy of God and will face destruction and separation from him for all eternity.

Solomon then shows us that the fool is unmistakable to those who know him.

Ecc 10:3 “3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool.”

As he walks down the path of destruction.

The path of ruin.

The path of selfishness, he is known to the world around him as the foolish one.

A fool makes his views on life known and they are known to be foolish.

Especially to those who have submitted to God.

Solomon doesn’t tell us exactly what the fool is doing, but he wants us to see that by his actions, the fool makes himself known.

In fact, he seems to be the only one that doesn’t see himself as a fool.

He is like this b/c again he listens to his heart.

This is a big teaching here in the world today.

When someone has a big decision to make.

What should you do?

“Listen to your heart”

“Your heart will never lead you astray.”

“Live how you feel.”

But there’s a problem with that kind of teaching.

We can’t always trust our hearts.

God says in Jer 17:9 “9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?”

Here’s the thing, we can’t trust our hearts.

We can’t trust the way they are leading us.

We can’t rely on our own understanding to lead us down the path that leads toward God?

So there seems to be this tension between what Solomon is saying here and what God says elsewhere especially when it comes to the wise person.

B/c Solomon says the wise person’s heart goes to the right.

How can he put that much faith in the wise persons heart?

When God says that the heart is more deceitful than anything else?

Is this a contradiction?

Here’s what’s happening here.

Solomon knows that the wise heart is submitted to the Lord.

Meaning that in all ways the wise persons heart is not self-seeking, but God honoring.

Remember the driving factor for the heart of anyone is what they love.

So here, if you love God.

If your desire is to please him.

If you are pursing him in all you do.

If you are devoted to living a Godly life, then you should be able to trust your heart.

B/c the desire of your heart is guided by your love for God and his instruction.

Whereas the desire of the heart of the fool is always on himself.

So much so that he doesn’t even realize his foolishness.

He doesn’t realize that all he seeks is his own desires.

He doesn’t realize that his actions are selfish and misguided.

There’s no truth guiding the heart of the fool.

Every decision, every conversation, every desire is focused on his pleasure.

His desires.

His getting ahead.

Why?

B/c ultimately the only thing he truly cares about is himself.

Family, this is no way to live.

We can’t live a meaningful

A purposeful life if all we want is to please ourselves.

If all we want is to give into the wicked desires of our hearts.

We can’t live redemptively and live selfishly.

There are only two ways to live.

Either a life following God or a life indulging self.

So how are you living?

Which path are you walking down?

Are you walking down the path the brings life.

The path that follows and trusts Jesus.

The path that listens to God’s word.

That Heeds the Lord’s instruction.

That is reliant on the author of life.

Or are you walking down the path of destruction.

The path of selfishness.

The path of listening to your deceitful heart.

The path that ignores the Lord’s instruction.

The path that is self-reliant and self-seeking.

There is only one way to live the wise life.

There is only one path that leads to God.

And it’s the path that fears him and obeys his commandment.

You don’t have to listen to the Lord, but your life will be better if you do.

You will know the true extent of wisdom.

The full depth of love

The freedom of grace.

Don’t rely on yourself.

Don’t trust in yourself.

Don’t follow your heart.

B/c you know as well as I do, that you have failed yourself more than you care to admit.

But Jesus never will.

He will walk with you down the path of wisdom in all aspects of life.

He will give you guidance

He will lead you into all truth.

He will shape and transform you into the person he wants you to be.

A wise person rather than a fool.

But not everyone will heed the wisdom of the Lord.

Not everyone will submit to God.

So as followers of Jesus we are going to have to deal with those who are foolish.

How do we deal with them?

First we have to recognize that foolishness comes in every aspect of life

Ecclesiastes 10:4–7 CSB

4 If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your post, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. 5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: 6 The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. 7 I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves.

Extent of Foolishness

There is foolishness everywhere.

From those with power and influence.

To those without any.

But that power doesn’t disrupt in the same way.

Foolish People with power and influence cause more damage than the simple fool.

Here is where we see that on display in Solomon’s reflection of life.

Here the ruler of the kingdom is foolish and it has caused chaos.

How can we tell, in v. 5 we see that there is an error that comes from the ruler.

The first thing this ruler does is appoint fools to positions they are not fit for.

Positions of great heights.

Back in v. 1 “a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor”

Foolishness spreads its arms out to encompass all things.

And it’s influence is greater if the person with it has great influence.

This is subtle and may not cause us to think about it much but look at what Solomon says in v. 7.

Ecc 10:7 “7 I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves.”

This may not seem like much to our modern ears, but this is a big change and not one that’s for the better.

Solomon here is basically saying that the foolishness of the ruler and his appointed people have caused the world to be turned upside down.

Things aren’t how they should be.

Ecclesiastes The Failures of Great and Small 10:5–15

This is presented not as a positive situation in which the poor have received unexpected opportunity, but as a chaotic situation in which the most bizarre things are possible, and the governance of society is fragile and uncertain

This isn not the people leading to a better life, but chaos in the structure and order of society.

As much as we would like a society that is a little more just and a little more fair, foolishness of government officials isn’t the way to get equality.

Good and lasting things will never spring forth from Foolishness.

Though they may seem good and right in the moment, they will end up in ruin.

Let’s just look at what we see in society today.

The world has become topsy turvy and part of that is b/c leadership at all levels has given way to foolishness.

And the foolishness and folly is easy to spot for those that are in Christ.

Those who know the truth of God look out at the world and see the brokenness.

We see the problems.

We see that society celebrates immorality.

Perpetrates wrongful violence.

Punishes righteousness.

Denies God’s Authority

This is apparent and it comes from the top down.

Folly is promoted in the classrooms of our children in elementary school all the way through college.

Folly is celebrated in media through the shows we watch, the podcasts we listen to, and the books we read.

Foolishness has become invasive b/c those with power and influence have allowed it to.

Primarily b/c they are foolish.

They don’t revere or fear God.

So that gives way to folly.

Society has become chaotic.

And it feels good for us to get angry and upset at the way that the world has turned out.

At the way that culture and society have influenced our homes, schools, and even our churches.

But how does Solomon say that we should respond to this foolishness?

Ecc 10:4 “4 If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your post, for calmness puts great offenses to rest.”

We are to stand firm in our convictions.

“Don’t leave our posts”

Don’t allow our anger to cause us to act foolish.

Rather we should respond with calmness.

It’s not right for us to meet foolishness with foolishness.

Instead we should stand out as distinctly different from the world around us.

There are enough angry fools out there, we need calm and courageous followers of Jesus to combat the angry fools not join them.

We don’t back away from the wrongs of the world, but we stand firm and confront them with the calm words of the Gospel.

The only thing that can change the fools heart is the prompting of the HS at the hearing of the gospel message.

When we are confronted with the foolishness of the world, we should exhibit self-control, just as Jesus did when he was facing the ultimate injustice.

As he was going to the cross he was silent, but he didn’t run away, he didn’t back down, he didn’t Scream in Pilates face.

He didn’t call his executioners bad names.

He didn’t seek to make a name for himself, but he appealed to God to forgive those who crucified him.

And as his followers, we should do the same thing.

We should be willing to quietly and calmly lay down our lives for the cause of Christ.

We should be willing to stare foolishness and wickedness in the face, not back down, but respond with grace, compassion, and forgiveness.

Our calling is to imitate Jesus, not the loud fools that broadcast their foolish ideas.

Unfortunately, we often take our cues from the fools rather than from our Lord.

Often we would rather match their energy in anger, frustration, and rhetoric.

Rather than responding like Jesus.

But that’s not the wise thing to do.

We should always seek to act like Jesus rather than the fools of the world.

Stand firm.

Don’t back down.

Be calm.

Speak the truth.

Follow Jesus.

1 Peter 2:21 “21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

Again, I want you to hear this truth.

There are only two paths for a person to walk on.

Either the path of wisdom or the path of foolishness.

Wisdom happens when we submit to God.

We hear his voice and follow his instructions.

The wise man or woman recognizes their limitations.

Knowing that they need someone outside of themselves to guide them into wisdom.

B/c on our own we are all fools.

And the the good news is that we have access to the path of wisdom.

That access was granted to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Through his obedience to the Father we can see how life is lived in perfect wisdom, fear, and obedience to God.

But the first step to the journey of wisdom is to give your life to Jesus.

To recognize that by yourself you are a broken soul who prefers your own ways to God’s ways.

But at the same time knowing that God’s ways are better than your own.

God can transform your heart.

He can make you new.

He can give you a heart that desires wisdom rather than a heart that desires selfishness.

Jesus came to live the life you couldn’t and died the death you deserved so that you can have freedom to love him.

To follow him.

And to walk the path of wisdom.

It would be foolish to live your life for one more second apart from him.

Give your life to Jesus.

He’s calling out to you.

Will you respond?