Fools Have No Wisdom

There was an individual, who growing up, had rickets which hindered his ability to run and play like many other children. He wore leg braces until he was five years old. He was from a family that was quite dysfunctional. He was raised by his mother after divorcing the father. As he got a little older, he became involved in a gang and actually spent some time in youth prison.

It was after a meeting with the famous baseball player, Willie Mays, who encouraged him to avoid this troubled life and try to better himself through sports. So, he played football, both ways, as a running back and defensive back and was named to the Junior College All-American team as a running back for City College of San Francisco. He then transferred to the University of Southern California. In 1968, he made a major name for himself. He still holds the record for the largest margin of victory for the Heisman Trophy.

In 1973, he became the first player in the NFL to break the 2,000 yard rushing mark. He still holds several NFL records. In case you haven’t figured out who this person is, his name is O. J. Simpson. Sadly, he is no longer remembered for any of this but rather for the foolishness of a dramatic slow-motion police chase, high profile murder trial, breaking and entering as a thief, etc.

The first 3 verses of chapter 10 serve somewhat as an introduction to the end of Solomon’s lecture. Once again, we see the word folly used in this chapter 9 different times. Those who teach public speaking say that in order to capture an audience’s attention, begin with an introductory comment that really grabs their attention. Well how about, Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink . . . ? I have to admit, he got my attention, as my mind began to visualize the picture and that of those smelling the perfume. The point is obviously, that the reputation of the person with wisdom and honor stinks when it becomes tainted with a little foolishness. That is probably the verse which is the foundation for all of the upcoming examples.

Yet, as we approach the following examples, we wonder why some people seem to hang around foolishness like a magnet, while others seem to show great wisdom and actually seem to repel folly. Well, verse 2 shows that it begins in the heart or the center of a person, their character. What is it that motivates you from your very essence? It seems that some people are just bent on being foolish, even though there are people that want to walk beside along the road. They are naturally attracted to folly because they do not have a guiding principle of wisdom as part of their character; most likely because they have rejected God.

Now, lest someone think that this is a political commentary, it’s important to understand what the listeners of that time period thought about the right and the left. In that time and that part of the world, it was commonly understood that the right hand was one of power and honor. The left hand was considered weak and unimportant. Interestingly, the English word for sinister comes from a Latin word which was understood to refer to on the left hand. Thus, when the Bible speaks of the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left, it is because that person lacks wisdom.

Today, we want to remember that:

We need wisdom which can only come from truly knowing God.

So, knowing this we will look at the four different examples Solomon discusses as he reveals different kinds of fools.

A Ruler Who Doesn’t Measure Up. - 10:4-7

One would think that a ruler of a nation would have to have wisdom. We recall Solomon even requesting wisdom upon becoming king. We get the impression that this ruler was a bit of a hot head. It could be as a result of being prideful or arrogant. Solomon gives no justification for this anger. Now we’ve heard the phrase of someone who loses their temper. That means that they lost control of their emotions. It has been suggested that if a person cannot control his temper, then he cannot control himself. Thus, he probably cannot control a host of other situations. In fact, listen to a couple of verses from Proverbs which goes along with this thought.

Proverbs 16:32 NASB95

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

Proverbs 16:32

Proverbs 25:28 NASB95

Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Proverbs

However, the response seen in the last part of verse 4 seems to show the use of wisdom: do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. I especially like the NLT wording: don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. Maybe we could suggest that we don’t fight fire with fire. Rather than acting like a fool, as well; we should let wisdom guide our reactions.

Verses 5-7 show another foolish thing that some rulers do, and is probably seen throughout the world today; not just in politics, but in various venues. Here is where the ruler or leader doesn’t have the courage to do the right thing. In this instance, he appoints those who are foolish to positions of authority. Meanwhile, he has people who could very well lead and do the right thing, placed in lower positions doing menial tasks. He also shows that the ruler has the servants riding around on horses like they’re the ones who ought to be there. At the same time, those who ought to be treated well and on horses are being treated as slaves and nobody’s. Think about this for a bit. If the ruler or leader is fool enough to use incompetent people and not utilize the strengths and talents of those who could help lead, then there will be some very unwise leading or ruling taking place.

We recall the example of Rehoboam who chose not to heed wise counsel. Instead he chose to listen to his buddies and in his foolish arrogance, things went quite badly for him.

My friends, there is nothing wrong with exercising wisdom, even though it might not be popular. One would be a fool to put someone into a position of authority who is not qualified. One would be a fool who ignores a wise person and tries to minimize that person and not take advantage of how God had equipped them. We need wisdom which can only come from truly knowing God.

A Worker Without Wits - 10:8-11

We need to understand that Solomon was not downplaying hard work or manual labor. What he appears to be discussing is those who are working hard, but have problems because they were foolish in the process. It seems that the overall picture is that when work was being done or had been done, an accident or injury took place because they were careless. The first one dug a pit or a well and ended up falling into it. The wise person would have set some precautions in place. Then we see an individual who is tearing down a wall or a fence and ends up being bitten by a snake. Accidents can happen, we know. But Solomon is focusing on those that could have been prevented. That becomes more obvious with the next illustration.

Here we see workers at a quarry and in the woods. Verse 10 helps to explain why there was foolishness causing the hurt. The individual was trying to split wood or cut down the tree with a dull ax. It’s almost like the fellow who took almost a day trying to cut down a tree with a brand new chain saw. As he complained about this new-fangled gadget being worthless, his neighbor asked if he’d bothered to start it up. The foolish tree cutter had been trying to cut down a tree without running the motor. When harvesting or tilling the soil, we would save so much time by taking extra time to make sure the sickle blades were sharp or the discs or chisels were clean and sharp.

Verse 11 stands out as a bit odd to us in the Western world. However, during Solomon’s time, the snake charmer was an entertainer of sorts. It is fairly common knowledge that a snake doesn’t have ears. Instead it gathers sound through sound waves vibrating its head bone structure. In reading a bit about this, it is stated that it is not so much the music which the snake charmer plays. It is the man’s movement and staring that keeps the serpent focused and controlled.

Thus, Solomon shows how ridiculous it would be for the snake to bite the charmer before it was charmed. This would happen when a charmer was trying to make things happen too quickly in efforts to have more show to make more money. Obviously, being bitten by the serpent was a real downer for the charmer since he’ll probably die. Also, he won’t get any income from those watching since he had behaved like a fool, hurrying the process. By the way, I discovered that the mongoose was often close to the charmer so that if the snake or serpent attacked, the mongoose would snatch it before it got to the charmer. But sometimes, they missed.

In each of the scenarios Solomon presented, the workers did not use wisdom. In their foolishness, they were possibly arrogant or overconfident or simply trying to get by with a shortcut. However, they were either slowed down, hurt, or possibly killed.

Even in our work, We need wisdom which can only come from truly knowing God.

A Talker Who Shouldn’t - 10:12-15

You’ve heard the phrase, they just like to hear themselves talking. Or maybe this one, What would they do if their gums weren’t always flapping? Proverbs is full of truisms about foolish talk. But what makes foolish talk?

Verse 12 seems to show that foolish talk is harmful. I like the first part of verse 12: Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious . . . The Lord Jesus only spoke harshly to those who thought they were close to God, but were only close to themselves and full of self-righteousness. The interesting thing is that the foolish person just speaks whatever comes to their mind. It’s as someone commented, they forgot to engage their brain before their lips started moving. Sadly, many people can be hurt by those thoughtless words, in particular, the one who spoke them: the lips of a fool consume him.

Isn’t it interesting when we think about the book of James and how he speaks quite unfavorably about some of the speech which comes out from some people. James compares inappropriate words and language to a destructive fire and a venomous beast. I appreciate the prayer of many who have echoed the Proverb, set a watch over my lips.

Foolish talk is not just harmful, verse 13 shows that much of it is unnecessary. Much of the time, it ends up being nonsense. Something which absolutely amazes me is the plea by some to care for the children while at the same time supporting abortion and even suggesting that abortion is a great way to deal with climate change. And if you listen long enough to the incessant illogic, we understand when Solomon states it that it ends up as wicked madness. This type of person talks themselves into a corner of nonsense and absurdity. Paul speaks of this type of person in as rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers. Warren Wiersbe comments about this sort of know-it-all person who feel that they are quite the Biblical authority. I quietly wait for them to hang themselves; and they rarely disappoint me.

The first part of verse 14 describes the person who has too many things to say with his words. Yet the fool multiplies words. He says a lot but has no substance. One person commented that this sort of person had diarrhea of the mouth. Once again, the book of speaks about the person who actually can control what they say as one who can be in charge of their whole body.

Then, we see the individual who thinks his words are the ultimate in truth and prediction. They think that what they have to say should prove to everyone that they know exactly what is going to happen or that they can actually control it. I’ve shared many times that all I truly know is what has happened, what is happening, but am clueless as to what will happen. Regarding the future, I only am certain of my salvation; and that is because it is promised to me by God who does not change, nor does He ever lie.

You have to love Solomon’s sarcasm in verse 15, especially as it is worded in the NLT: Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home. Even though they think they can predict the future and are full of all kinds of self-insight, they actually do so little, they are beyond helpless in basic directions.

With our use of words, We need wisdom which can only come from truly knowing God.

An Officer but Not a Gentleman - 10:16-20

Without the subordinates, foolish rulers couldn’t do or get away with what they do. These are the people Solomon points out in these last verses. These officers are just like their rulers in that they are foolish.

In verses 16-17, Solomon points out how the princes or officers are only in it for themselves. Usually leaders will have people who serve as officers of like mind and similar attitudes that they have. If the leader cares about the people, those under him will have that same mentality. If he is all about himself, the people under him usually reflect that same spirit. These types of people are using the empire they are supposed to serve to build their own empires.

Now we could get the idea that age is the factor, yet that is not the case. The Bible warns against giving too much responsibility and authority to someone who is very young, particularly in their faith. However, we have all observed people with many years under their belt, behaving foolishly and making a young person look very mature. Oswald Chambers is quoted as saying, Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by the obedience to the will of God. Maturity is not always synonymous with age.

The NIV actually words verse 16 this way: Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant. Implied is that his buddies helped him attain the leadership and now he’s obligated to keep them on. Again, we’re reminded of King Rehoboam in his foolishness with the friends of his youth. The ideal is seen in wisdom in verse 17. This leader is truly noble and does things the right way. He and his officers are there for the people and not themselves.

Verse 18 shows what happens when the foolish are in office serving their ruler. They are so busy doing what gives them pleasure and power that nothing worthwhile gets accomplished. In essence, everything is falling apart all around them. These people love all the power and prestige and privileges. However, they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. They are quite alright to see everything fail as long as they are still in power and receiving all the perks.

Sadly, this carries into an attitude which is seen in verse 19. It’s all about them. It’s as if they want to gorge themselves on everything they can while they are in this position of authority. It doesn’t matter what the people need or want, it’s about how they can live it up for their own pleasures. We see this in all kinds of situations where impoverished countries are in such need, because those in government are living like fat cats. It takes place in businesses where the employees barely get by while the bosses are living in the lap of luxury. It can happen anywhere where those in leadership and their officers or servants or princes are thinking only of benefitting themselves.

Have you heard the phrase, A little bird told me? I’m wondering if it came from verse 20. These foolish people have become so callous and self-centered that they become reckless with their talking. It’s almost like a picture of great revelry in secret with these officers and they are mouthing off all kinds of derogatory comments about the king. Interestingly, someone let the king know what was being said. You can imagine what would have happened next.

Conclusion

In all of this, it becomes fairly clear that Solomon in his observations understands some very basic principles that we need to live by. Avoid folly or foolishness and live with godly wisdom. And of course, We need wisdom which can only come from truly knowing God.

My friends, even though Solomon can sometimes seem like a very negative and discouraging individual at times, we certainly can see the positive he has been trying to get across. In spite of all that is negative and hard about life, it is truly a blessing that is well worth living. If we’re busy trying to figure it all out and make everything work a certain way, we will certainly be discouraged. However, if we completely trust the Lord, by first of all accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, then while doing our work for the glory of God, accepting and being thankful for all we receive from God, we will then realize what a great blessing life is. In fact, it gives us the ability to live each day fully to God’s glory.

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