Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

As Solomon moves toward the conclusion of his book, he starts to offer a series of proverbs. Proverbs are short, pithy observations that have a much wider application. These proverbs illustrate the point of the last line of Ecclesiastes 9:18, “One sinner destroys much good." For example, in verse 1 it is clear that rotting flies ruin the scent of perfume. But there's a wider application, which is that foolish behaviors ruin the bigger context in which they occur.

Verse 2 sets the pattern for understanding many of the Proverbs that follow. Many contemporary political conservatives apply this jokingly to contemporary political theory, but that is not the point. You can understand this verse by means of a simple test. Write your name and address with your right hand and then with your left. Most of the time we will do our best with our right hand. The point Solomon is making is that a wise person always works from and toward their strength, but a fool doesn't. In the proverbs that follow, Solomon will illustrate that a fool's direction is toward weak decisions.

“Lord, help me move toward the strength you provide. AMEN.”