Ecclesiastes 10:1-20
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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?
(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.
(19) Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.
(20) Even in your thought, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.
Which one was your favorite?
Which one challenged you the most?
Number one is one of the most insidious and is recognized in Matt 6 the Lord's prayer.
Number 11 challenged me the most: "If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer"
It reminded me that as Christians, we have the amazing power of God within us, yet if we fool around with the world and the measly things it offers to us, we can be "bitten". We have power over Satan and the world, but we need to use it!
(20)"Even in your thought"…how many times have I cursed or become frustrated (safely, I thought) within my own mind? "Do not curse the king?"…how many times has our President been cursed for his weaknesses? A thousand times a day? Probably more."Nor in your bedroom curse the rich"–okay, I'm not necessarily thinking of Donald Trump when I play the comparison game…but, how many times do I envy or compare myself to someone rich in beauty, or rich in relationships, or in love? Eventually, my true heart will come out in my actions.
Thanks for the challenge…
(12) The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.
I really like this one, because it tells us that we have to be very careful how we use our mouths. Especially people who are in positions of Godly authority and leadership. We have tos et an example, and I always think… why did God choose me? I muck up many times with my mouth, yet i am always trying! 🙂
i think number 10 challenges me the most because it states IF the axe is dulland we dont sharpen the edge then we must exert more strenth see i belive this is refering to our fait that when we go with out devotions or prayer then daily we are dulling our axe of faith and we have to start exerting more enrgey or doing it in our own power wich when we try to do anything in our own power we fail