The Wisdom of Showing Respect
Ecclesiastes 10:2-20
October 17, 2021
This morning we continue in our study of Ecclesiastes
And the pursuit of practical wisdom.
And we do so by approaching TWO DIFFERENT TOPICS
That we have ALREADY DISCUSSED before.
On one hand we are going to talk about the tongue,
On the other we are going to talk about how we use it in regard to the governing authorities.
The preacher first addressed the issue of the tongue
Back in chapter 5 especially as it related to our addressing God.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”
It was an important reminder that GOD IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT,
And that we are not here to give Him advice, but rather to receive His instruction.
And we remember Ecclesiastes 8 where the preacher told us to obey the king.
Ecclesiastes 8:2 “I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.”
• We were reminded by the preacher that God sits sovereign over all rulers
• And just because we may not understand why He might bring a certain man to
power does not mean He does not know what He is doing.
• Rather, God simply asked us to trust that He knows what He is doing and to
obey Him by being submissive to the king that He has placed in authority.
Both of those topics were extremely convicting
And now, in order to make sure we grasp wisdom
The preacher combined them and brings them to us again.
VERSES 2-20 DEAL PRIMARILY WITH
The way we talk to and the way we talk about
Those whom God has place in authority over us.
The most obvious application here is regarding a ruler.
But I think it is an easy application made to anyone whom God has put in authority over us.
• It could be parents, a boss, or certainly the civil authorities.
But the issue here is regarding the respect we show.
What you’re going to see is that the whole of the text deals again with
Having an incompetent ruler and how we should wisely respond.
Only this time the message is NOT talking about your civil submission.
No, the preacher hasn’t changed his mind about that.
But rather, this chapter deals with your attitude toward this ruler,
And respect that wisdom will give him.
And namely because your attitude can go a long way toward determining
• Not only your safety (because the king could punish you)
• But also it can do a long way toward determining your effectiveness in giving
him your advice.
We are talking about the type of wisdom it takes
To positively influence a situation
When someone above you has all the authority.
THIS IS VALUABLE WISDOM.
• Certainly applicable to how we show respect to the governing authorities,
• But you will see it is also wisdom that is extremely valuable to how we deal with people in general.
So we’re going to study these verses and learn a little about
THE WISDOM OF SHOWING RESPECT.
Now, that’s NOT the current trend of our culture.
The current trend is to belittle and curse and complain and mock.
Our culture has totally lost its grip on respect and grace and gentleness.
There isn’t really any such thing as civil disagreement anymore.
That is true in general, but it is certainly true in the political arena.
• Where mocking and cursing even the highest official in our land just seems to
come with the territory.
• It is certainly a violation of Scripture since we are unequivocally commanded
to render honor to whom honor is due.
But what the preacher wants you to understand here is that
Not only is it disobedient to curse the king, but it is also foolish.
So let’s look at our text this morning
And learn about the wisdom of showing respect.
There are 5 points to be seen here.
#1 HIS ADVICE
Ecclesiastes 10:2-4
You’ll notice that the preacher begins by talking about how
A wise man is directed to the right and the foolish man to the left.
(2) “A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.”
No, this is not a reference to American politics that a wise man is on the right and a foolish man on the left…politically.
(although you might have fun quoting it that way)
Rather the reference is to the right hand or the left hand of the king.
The right hand of the king was a place of HONOR,
A place of PROTECTION, and a place of INFLUENCE.
Consider Jesus’ parable:
Matthew 25:31-33 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”
And you remember how the sheep are welcomed into the kingdom,
But goats are sent to judgment.
There was honor and protection to be on the right hand of the king.
Not only that, but it was also a PLACE OF INFLUENCE.
• Consider that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father and there
He performs His work as our Great High Priest and intercessor.
And perhaps more than any other aspect
THIS IS WHAT THE PREACHER HAS IN MIND.
“A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right…”
MEANING THAT
• A wise man would seek to be in the good graces of the king.
• A wise man would seek to be in the protection of the king.
• A wise man would seek to be in a position of influence with the king.
It doesn’t do you any good to walk around all day airing your opinions
If the king is unwilling to listen to you.
You may feel better for doing it, but there is no real benefit.
All that happens is that you end up on the king’s bad side.
And “the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.”
That’s really THE SCENARIO of wisdom we are dealing with here.
Sometimes those who bark loudly may really think they are doing all the good, but are they?
• Is that wisdom?
• Or is it foolishness?
The preacher goes on to say:
(3) “Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.”
Being loud and running your mouth and complaining and threatening
Is not the type of behavior that lends people to think you are wise.
Perhaps you’ve heard the old adage, “Better to keep your mouth closed and to be thought of a fool than to open your mouth and prove it.”
As you will see, we are talking here about a loudmouth
And though he may think he is doing all the good
All he is really accomplishing is
Losing favor with the king and proving himself a fool.
That is not a wise move.
But the preacher DOES HAVE ADVICE for what wisdom looks like.
(4) “If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.”
To understand the point
You simply need to understand the protocol of the day.
When you went before a king what was your “position”?
• You bowed.
• You humbled yourself in his presence.
Well here a man went before the king and bowed himself,
But the king was angry at him.
“the ruler’s temper” rose against this man.
But what was the preacher’s advice?
“do not abandon your position”
“Don’t get off the floor; don’t puff up to him. Stay humble.”
WHY?
“because composure allays great offenses.”
That word for “composure” is translated “yielding” in the KJV
And carries more the idea of meekness than anything.
The idea here is that when the king is upset and you are at odds with him
The WISEST MOVE IS NOT for you to jump up and argue with him,
But rather to humble yourself under his authority.
It is the wisdom and power of humility.
It is the wisdom and power of meekness.
Certainly we have long since learned this when dealing with God.
James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
• You know that about God.
• You don’t argue with Him.
• You don’t defend your position.
• You humble yourself before him and plead for mercy.
That is certainly true for God, but it is ALSO TRUE
When dealing with those who have authority over you in this life.
I’m going to share with you the verse that probably has a greater impact on how I deal with people on a daily basis than any verse in the Bible.
I recommend that is you are ever going to deal with people on any level that you commit this verse to your memory and apply it liberally and apply it often.
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
I have proven that proverb true countless times.
Just a couple of weeks ago we went on our yearly golf trip.
• Leo and Lance drove on the fairway
• The manager came out angry
• I gave a gentle answer
• By the end he was super friendly
But if when confrontation arises you feel the need to rise up and state your case, well get ready for a fight.
My dad used to have that mentality.
Even at the end of his life when he was sort of taking inventory he told my mom, “You know I don’t think I ever accomplished anything by doing that.”
The wise advice of the preacher is to keep your mouth shut, humble yourself, and instead of winning the argument
Try to end up on the right side of the king.
It won’t do you any good to state your argument
If it only causes you to end up on the wrong side of the king.
You may have a good story to tell at the coffee shop,
But you just ruined your chance to influence the king.
NOW, THAT’S THE PREACHERS ADVICE.
• Be humble, stay on the king’s good side.
• Don’t be a fool who delights in airing his grievances.
But you know that brings with it the next logical question.
Well preacher I understand that if I made a mistake, but what if I was actually right? What if the king was wrong?
#2 HIS OBSERVATION
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
Here the preacher’s point gets more obvious.
• And we return that the previous point about submission to the governing authorities.
The preacher here is NOT telling you to respond with humility because you are wrong and he is right.
The preacher IS telling you to respond with humility
Because he is the king and you are not.
In fact, what we have here is a king who lacks discernment.
We have a king who, according to the preacher, commits error.
Namely he exalts the wrong people and overlooks the wrong people.
(5-6) “There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler— folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.”
Here we have a ruler who appoints foolish men to lead
And overlooks more qualified men.
For example:
(7) “I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.”
He is NOT here bragging on a king for freeing slaves.
• Rather he is making the point that he has seen people in positions they were not qualified to hold.
• And he has seen people who were qualified for those roles totally overlooked and relegated to nominal tasks.
The point is that the king routinely commits error
And places the wrong kind of people in leadership positions.
He sees that.
It “is an evil I have seen under the sun”
• He is aware that when he asks you to humble yourself before the king that it may be a difficult task.
• He is aware that when he asks you to keep your mouth shut that it may be hard to do.
But the wise advice to you and I remains the same.
“do not abandon your position” – be humble.
Now at this point we clearly see the advice,
But we are HAVING TROUBLE SEEING THE WISDOM of it.
How is that going to help?
What is that going to accomplish?
Well, the preacher is about to give that.
His Advice, His Observation
#3 HIS WISDOM
Ecclesiastes 10:8-14
His wisdom starts with a sort of proverb
And then he’ll get more plain spoken.
These are the types of statements that I suppose could stand alone,
But if we keep them in context we’ll know better what the preacher means.
He says, “He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stone may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.”
Now in a simple sense all of those proverbs make sense.
• Things don’t always work out like you plan.
• There are inherent risks to everything.
• What you think will work, might actually end up hurting you.
That could be applied in a wide variety of places.
But let’s consider them in context and regarding a man
Who is being asked to be humble before a foolish king.
“He who digs a pit may fall into it”
Digging a pit carries the connotation of setting a trap.
• Think about Joseph’s brothers throwing him into a pit.
• Or Jeremiah being thrown into a well.
You may think that rebellion and setting a trap for the ruler is a good plan,
But be careful sometimes men who set traps fall into them.
We all remember the story of Haman and how he was hung
On the very gallows he had built for Mordecai.
“a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.”
• You can go charging through that wall…
• You can go bust down that door…
• But are you sure you know what is on the other side?
Going after a ruler might come with unexpected consequences.
“He who quarries stones may be hurt by them”
You can gather stones and the implication here would be for a stoning.
You can pick up a rock to throw, but be careful.
We’ve heard the adage about how
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
The Pharisees who set out to stone the woman caught in adultery found out that the plan to attack massively backfired.
When you attack the king it could backfire on you as well.
It didn’t work out so well for Absalom.
“he who splits logs may be endangered by them.”
• You can go to swinging that axe if you want, but be careful.
• You might end up hurting yourself.
YOU GET THE POINT.
It may seem like a wise move to go on the attack against the king,
But are you sure?
• Are you sure you know how it will play out?
• Furthermore are you sure your plan will be effective?
That sort of bold, impulsive, prideful attack may gratify the flesh, but is it the most EFFECTIVE approach to accomplishing your goal?
Are you really going to fix anything by setting a trap, busting through a door, throwing rocks, or swinging an axe?
Blowing your top and running your mouth
Might not accomplish what you hoped for.
INSTEAD, HERE IS SOME WISDOM.
(10-11) “If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.”
Do you want the axe to work better? Sharpen it first.
• Wet the stone, take your time, sharpen it.
Do you want to keep the snake from biting? Charm it first.
• Hissing at a snake won’t help.
“Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.”
If you want to influence your ruler, try sharpening the axe.
If you want to influence your ruler, try charming the snake.
Today we might say something like:
“You’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
If you really want to influence the king. If you really want to effect change.
Then get on the king’s good side.
“A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right”
Be humble and quiet.
Don’t go badmouthing him…
That won’t work nearly as well as you think.
And I know today you likely realize that
YOU HAVE NO ACCESS TO THE RULERS OF OUR LAND
And so you wonder how this applies.
I would lift up to you:
1 Timothy 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
You will accomplish way more regarding the direction of our nation
By talking to God than you ever will by complaining on Facebook.
APPLY WISDOM.
The fool kicks down walls and utters threats.
And that is how the preacher GOES ON TO EXPLAIN his wise proverbs.
(12-14) “Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?”
Now the preacher’s wisdom comes to light.
Instead of being accusatory and criticizing
And expecting that banter and threats are going to advance your cause,
Take some guidance from the preacher.
“Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious”
Aren’t you are more apt to listen to and take advice from a person who speaks graciously to you as opposed to a man who condemns you?
All you accomplish when you get accusatory and threatening
Is to cause the person you are speaking to
To want to get away from you as quickly as possible.
“the lips of a fool consume him”
You don’t win, you only set your cause back.
IT DOESN’T WORK.
THAT’S THE POINT OF THE PREACHER.
And listen to how he describes this argumentative and arrogant person.
I can promise you that this is how you sound to the person you attack.
(13) “the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.”
To the person you start lambasting.
You start out sounding stupid and you end up sounding insane.
• Can’t you see that person give that “wide eyed” look to their friend or roll their eyes to their buddy?
• They are giving the body language that you are a madman and can’t be reasoned with.
• At that point they have quit listening to you and now just want to appease you enough to get away from you.
You didn’t win anything.
And the only thing you accomplished
Was to convince them that you are a fool.
(14) “Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?”
Ever argue with that guy?
• His lack of insight doesn’t seem to translate to a lack of words.
• They don’t know, but they keep on talking.
• And you can’t tell them anything.
We all know what it’s like to deal with that type of person.
• Waitresses know about those kind of people…
• Customer service workers know about those kind of people…
• And according to the preacher, so does the king…
And the point is again that there is wisdom in saying sweet words…
• There is wisdom in a gracious tongue…
• There is wisdom in a gentle answer…
• There is wisdom in a humble response…
• There is wisdom in showing respect…
And again, that DOESN’T IMPLY that the situation is easy.
#4 HIS SYMPATHY
Ecclesiastes 10:15-19
He is well-aware that you have a lazy, good-for-nothing ruler
Who is ruining everything.
Here he describes the grief of a nation who has a lazy and unfit king.
We have a king who toils but he toils so foolishly he accomplishes nothing.
(15) “The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not eve know how to go to a city.”
He’s working…on something…but he’s accomplishing nothing.
And we have a king who is far too consumed with his own personal interests than the interests of the kingdom.
(16) “Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.”
They party when they should work.
(17) “Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time – for strength and not for drunkenness.”
A good king who works hard is certainly to be desired.
BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU MAY HAVE.
You could actually have a lazy and foolish king who is ruining everything.
(18-19) “Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.”
He’s talking there about a bad ruler.
• He doesn’t take care of business, like a man who doesn’t take care of his house.
• Eventually if you neglect responsibility long enough the whole thing falls apart.
But instead of taking care of business
This ruler only wants to eat and drink and get rich
Because he things that “money is the answer to everything.”
THAT IS A BAD RULER.
So the preacher sympathizes.
BUT THAT DOES NOT change his advice.
Having a bad or lazy ruler does not negate wisdom.
• Just because you may not like the job your superior is doing DOES NOT MEAN that you should take up that tactics of a fool.
• Just because you don’t like the work of the king DOES NOT MEAN you should dig a pit for him, break through the door, go to throwing rocks and swinging the axe.
YOU SHOULD STILL MAINTAIN WISDOM.
• You should still use gracious words.
• You should still be humble.
• You should still show discretion.
He’s merely telling you how a wise man lives
In this fallen and backward world.
While a fool rises up, runs his mouth and kicks down a door,
The wise man holds his tongue, humbles himself, and gives grace.
And then we get one final point.
#5 HIS WARNING
Ecclesiastes 10:20
The verse starts with the word “Furthermore”
But I think it is more fitting to see it as “However”.
That is to say that
Just because you have a foolish king who feasts in the morning, neglects the rafters, and is only interested in getting rich.
Even then you had better BE CAREFUL cursing him.
Why?
“in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.”
Our words have a way of getting exposed.
Jesus told us:
Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
And even if this was a warning 3,000 years ago
It is certainly STILL RELEVANT today.
Go ask the recently resigned and publicly berated former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders (Jon Gruden) who found himself in trouble for private emails he sent over 10 years ago.
Do people really think that all the words they post on social media or send in emails or text messages have just disappeared?
It’s all seen, it’s all saved.
And the warning of the preacher is that
It never ends well for the fool who multiplies words.
If you want to know how a wise man acts even when under a foolish king,
• He maintains his humility,
• He limits his words,
• He speaks with grace,
• And he shows respect.
He charms the snake before he approaches it.
He sharpens the axe before he swings it.
THAT IS WISDOM.
NOW, ONE FINAL POINT.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
What does it have to do with the gospel or salvation?
I have told you all along that the preacher in Ecclesiastes
Is not just giving you wisdom, but it the wisdom that leads to salvation.
And I’m just going to tell you straight out.
If you can’t learn meekness and humility,
You’ll never be ready to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Have you considered that one of the reasons God in His sovereign prerogative gave you such a contemptable king is to teach you respect and grace and humility?
You have to have it if you are to be saved.
Listen to what Jesus said:
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
If you can’t learn to lower your head and close your mouth and respond with grace and respect then you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Because when HEAVEN’S KING comes knocking
He’s going to OFFEND MORE than your sense of patriotism.
When heaven’s King comes knocking
He’s going to expose the very corruption of your heart.
• He’s going to expose how sinful you are…
• He’s going to expose your motives…
• He’s going to expose your corruption…
• And He’s going to demand repentance…
But if your response is to get up off the floor
And give Him a piece of your mind then you can forget salvation.
When He approaches you,
You’d better humble yourself, close your mouth, respond with respect
And do whatever you can to get on the good side of the king.
Be a sheep on the right, not a goat on the left.
For as we read:
Matthew 25:31-34, 41 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;”
And I remind you again that all authority comes from Him.
So learn to submit to your earthly authority
If for no other reason than to prepare you
To submit to your heavenly one.
I’ll leave you with one illustrative story that fits the text so well:
Matthew 15:21-28 “Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.”
The wisdom of showing respect pays off.
