“Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment and cause it to give off a foul odour (v1)”Asimilar thought to how the previous chapter finished. One bad thing spoils a beautiful thing as does a little foolishness to a person respected for wisdom and honour. A reckless word or action can spoil something important. Everything however small has consequences. We should be very careful because we can set in motion a catastrophe from something as small and innocuous as a ‘dead fly.’ There is a saying that one bad apple spoils the whole barrel. One mistake, however small, can ruin a life.
“A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.” (v2)
Perhaps not so much today but years ago right and left had significance. I remember at junior school that we were discouraged from writing with our left hand. Things have changed because a large number of people are left handed and there seems to be no problem. When we used to write with the old straight pens with replaceable nibs and the inkwell in the desk it was difficult for those who wrote left handed because they were pushing against the direction of writing and sprayed ink on the paper. I guess things have improved with the pens we have today.
The right hand was considered to be the side of strength and the left was the weaker side. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. It seems to indicate that a wise man walks in the ways of God, but a fool walks his own way.
“Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.” (v3)
Solomon seems to be saying that it doesn’t take much to show that you are a fool. It can soon be obvious.
The Lord Jesus said that we should be very careful who we call a fool. In Matthew 5:22 He said, “Whoever says “You fool” shall be in danger of hell fire.”” These are very strong words thus it is important to look at the context – in v21 Jesus is referring to the law stating that murderers are in danger of the judgment and goes on to say, “But I say that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever says to his brother ‘Raca’ shall be in danger of the council, but whoever says, “You Fool” shall be in danger of hell fire.” ‘Raca’ means empty head or numbskull and the words in the Greek ‘You fool’ really translate ‘more.’ Thus ‘Whoever says empty head shall be in danger of the council, but whoever says ‘more’ than that shall be in danger of hell fire.’
It is clear that such names are to be guarded and when carelessly and improperly used put us in danger of some sort of retribution. Note the words ‘in danger of’. No true Christian can be condemned to hell fire. Jesus said that they shall never perish, but it shows how serious it is for us to use such terms. We should call people fools only where the Bible permits it. The Bible tells us of several types of fools and we would be wise to restrict it to such people.
Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 begin with, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”” A person who denies the existence of God is a fool.
In Luke 12:13-21 Jesus told a parable of a farmer who thought life consisted of his possessions. Jesus called him a fool and said, ”This night your soul shall be required of you, then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” To leave God out of your plans is sheer folly.
Solomon writing in Proverbs 28:25,26 says, “A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the Lord will prosper. He who trusts in himself is a fool.” In Proverbs 12:15 he says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.”
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
When the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:10, ‘We are fools for Christ’s sake’, he meant he was prepared to lose his life for Christ and the Bible says that that is true wisdom. If we are not prepared to be a fool for Christ’s sake, we are indeed fools because Satan will see to it that he makes a fool out of us, and that really is foolishness.
Solomon goes on to say in v 4-7 that we will be wise to be faithful and ‘don’t leave your post’ even if a ruler comes against you. He says that he has seen ‘folly in great dignity’ – people who are fools given high positions of honour and rich people sitting in lowly places; servants riding on horses while princes walking.
He gives examples and warns (v8-10) against digging a pit and falling into it themselves; breaking through a wall and being bitten by a serpent, which could mean spoiling your neighbour’s property and coming to harm; quarrying stones and getting hurt and splitting wood likewise especially if your axe needs sharpening.
The words of a babbler are like a serpent which hasn’t been charmed but the words of a wise man are gracious. Foolishness is at the base of all a fool says and it ends in raving madness (v11-14) and a fool is known for his many words. Fools seem to have little appetite for work (v15) or the work they do is tiresome, so much so that they lose direction.
Foolishness in individuals even affects a nation in that they do things and make appointments which lack wisdom (v16-20). It is foolish to make a child a king and princes feasting in the morning. I think we all know that morning is not the best time to have a feast. Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time – for strength and not for drunkenness.
Josiah was only eight years of age when he became king. (2 Kings 22:1) The important thing was that he wise, “He did that which was right in the sight of The Lord…. And did not turn aside to the right hand or the left.” He restored true worship (ch 23)
A nation needs faithful leaders, particularly God-fearing leaders. Laziness and idleness bring down a nation. The most important thing is for leaders to seek God’s wisdom and for us to pray for them.
