“Are you acting like a fool?”
Ecc. - Pt. 11
Opening Illustration: Some people say and do foolish things for example:
Here are some twisted facts from various media sources (not true but reported as true): The following information is from the website legendsofamerica.com.
On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes.
More people working in advertising died on the job in 1996 than those who died while working in petroleum refining.
Babies are born without knee caps. They don’t appear until the child reaches 2-6 years of age.
A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.
On average people fear spiders more than they do death.
Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump.
Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
It’s possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
Four sunken nuclear submarines sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. One, a Russian sub resting in deep water off of Bermuda, holds 16 live nuclear warheads. Scientists and oceanographers are unsure what the impact of the escaping plutonium will have, but warn that corrosion could create the proper chemical environment for a massive nuclear chain reaction.
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
After complaining about the smell in their room, a couple staying in a hotel in the United States discovered the body of a murdered girl under their bed.
It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
Ants always fall over on their right side when intoxicated.
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds, that makes the catfish rank #1 for animal having the most taste buds.
Starfish haven’t got brains.
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.
The average secretary’s left hand does 56% of the typing.
There are more chickens than people in the world.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
In most advertisements, including newspapers, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.
In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
The name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N and O-Z, hence "Oz."
Dumb comments by famous people:
"I can’t really remember the names of the clubs that we went to."
- Shaquille O’Neal, basketball player, on whether he had visited the Parthenon during his visit to Greece
“I’ve read about foreign policy and studied, I now know the number of continents.” - George Wallace 1968 presidential campaign
"A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it is written on." - Samuel Goldwyn, early Hollywood movie producer.
“We are the president.” - Hillary Clinton
"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can’t help but cry. I mean I’d love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." - Mariah Carey
"We all get heavier as we get older because there’s a lot more information in our heads." - Vlade Divac, Basketball player
“Those who survived the San Francisco earthquake said, ‘Thank God, I’m still alive.’ But, of course, those who died, their lives will never be the same again." - California Senator Barbara Boxer
"The streets are safe in Philadelphia. It’s only the people who make them unsafe." - Frank Rizzo, ex-police chief and mayor of Philadelphia.
"A billion here, a billion there, sooner or later it adds up to real money." - Everett Dirksen, Congressman
"Solutions are not the answer." - Richard Nixon, former U.S. President
We’ve got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" - Lee Iacocca
"We are ready for an unforeseen event that may or may not occur." - Al Gore, former U.S. vice president
"I was under medication when I made the decision to burn the tapes." - Richard Nixon, former U.S. President
"I used to be the future president of the United States." - Al Gore
"I invented the internet." - Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
Thesis: Solomon tells us in chapter 10 of his journal that we need to be wise and not a fool like many he has observed throughout his life.
Scripture Text: Ecclesiastes chapter 10
1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as he walks along the road,
the fool lacks sense
and shows everyone how stupid he is.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great errors to rest.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are put in many high positions,
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed
but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
there is no profit for the charmer.
12 Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
but a fool is consumed by his own lips.
13 At the beginning his words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14 and the fool multiplies words.
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell him what will happen after him?
15 A fool’s work wearies him;
he does not know the way to town.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant
and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag;
if his hands are idle, the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
and wine makes life merry,
but money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird of the air may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Introduction:
Our subject today is foolishness – or we could call it stupidity or even acting like dumb and
dumber all these words describe a person who is acting like a fool. Chuck Swindoll defines fool
this way from his book, Living on the Ragged Edge:
“Folly is a term we don’t use that often, but it is a term used rather frequently in Scripture. It suggests a lack of good sense, lack of foresight, failing to realize the consequences of a stupid act before it occurs. Scripture calls that ‘folly’ or ‘foolishness.’ And it can happen in our day just as it happened in Solomon’s day” (pg, 287).
“The fool is not only characterized by deception, mockery, and the ‘sport’ of wickedness (see Proverbs 14:8, 9; 10:23; 15:21), his entire inner person ‘rages against the Lord’ (Proverbs 19:3).I call that a serious thing to deal with” (pg. 300, 301).
He adds: Perhaps it will relieve you a great deal of anxiety to know that no amount of arguing, persuading, pleading, threatening, or even throwing profanity back at the fool will change him or her. Bargaining won’t work either. Logic will break down. Tears will not be effective. Strong discipline won’t even work once the fool gets old enough. Proverbs often says that the rod on the back of the fool seems to be more a waste than a help. The fool must learn in a very, very stern and severe manner-usually over a lengthy period of time-not to be foolish” (pg. 301)
Thoughts on fools from Draper’s book of quotations:
“A narrow mind and a wide mouth usually go together.”
“Outside noisy, inside empty.” - CHINESE PROVERB
“Some are wise, and some are otherwise.”
Whenever you hear or read about a reference to a fool it is never in a positive light. I do not
believe anyone sets out on a mission to be fool! I also don’t think someone wakes up one
morning and says, “I want to be a fool!” I see no bumper stickers saying, “Proud to be a fool!”
or “My daughter is on the honor roll of fools!” Solomon is telling us, no warning us, not to act
like fools because their actions bring pain, suffering, curses, God’s judgment and heartache into
their own lives. In other words a fool’s worst enemy is themselves!
T.S. - So let’s look at the characteristics of a fool so that we avoid this kind of behavior and mindset.
I. A foolish act will destroy a person’s reputation of wisdom and honor.
a. Solomon tells us that one foolish act can cost us our reputation with others.
i. The truth is one foolish act can destroy a person’s reputation for life!
1. A good reputation takes years to build but one foolish act can destroy in a short moment in time.
2. The following quotes express how fragile our reputation can be and why we need to make sure that we don’t do something foolish in our life. Quotes from Draper’s Quotes:
a. Quote: “A good name, like good will, is got by many actions and lost by one.” LORD FRANCIS JEFFREY (1773–1850)
b. Quote: “A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was.”JOSEPH HALL (1574–1656)
c. Quote: “Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked and never well mended.” BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1706–1790)
d. Quote: “Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself; and what remains is bestial.” WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564–1616)
e. Quote: “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.” JAPANESE PROVERB
b. The Bible tells us – no warns us to make sure that we guard our hearts from sin and foolishness.
i. Why does the Bible give so many directives about guarding our hearts and not being polluted by the world?
1. Reason- to save us heartache and pain – to presevere our reputation and proper standing with God!
c. A real life story – from Garlow’s book: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Tested by Time. The following information is taken from pages 85-87.
i. Have you ever hear of a man named Bill Clinton?
1. What is the first thing that pops into your mind?
ii. Garlow notes: Clinton was one of the most compelling communicators in modern times. The only recent presidents who could move a crowd as powerfully as Bill Clinton were Jack Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Clinton was a master communicator. He held audiences in the palm of his hand. In fact, he could ‘wow’ people even more profoundly in person. He had a winsomeness. He was profoundly charismatic in personality. And he worked hard! And it should be acknowledged that he had some significant accomplishments during his presidency. But even his closest friends begrudgingly acknowledged that he squandered his legacy. Few administrations were more scandal plagued. Simply put, he failed to understand that integrity matters. In the final days of his presidency, Bill Clinton ‘acknowledged that he had testified falsely under oath about his relations with Monica Lewinsky, agreed to a suspension of his law license for five years.’ The string of allegations against Clinton includes ‘the Whitewater land deals, the mishandling of FBI files, the firings at the White House travel office.’ …his behavior with Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddick, Kathleen Willey, Elizabeth Ward Grayson, Sally Perdue, and Dolly Kyle Browning…Most significantly he is labeled as only one of two presidents to have been impeached. Some may feel that I have done a disservice to former President Clinton for even mentioning these issues. And some will contend that he was never successfully charged with illegalities in several of the scandals mentioned. That is true, he was not. But the list has caused many a political pundit, who was otherwise sympathetic to Clinton policies, and who have been enamored with his political brilliance, to label this presidential conduct as ‘tawdry,’ (85-87).
1. The truth is that his few foolish actions cost him his legacy as a President and his reputation and that overshadows his accomplishments.
2. Bill even made this statement on TV with a interns present:
a. "Politics gives guys so much power that they tend to behave badly around women. And I hope I never get into that." - Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States who had an affair with an intern.
d. So let’s reread verse 1 - “As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”
i. In the Middle East if you left the top off a perfume bottle flies would fly into the perfume and die and eventually the perfumes odor would become a vile odor rather than a pleasant odor.
ii. So Solomon says, “Don’t do foolish and stupid things to ruin your good reputation instead guard your heart and be wise.”
T.S. – Don’t be a fool and do something that will ruin your good reputation instead choose the right road instead of the wrong road.
II. A foolish act is one that chooses to do wrong instead of right.
a. Solomon in verse two tells us to make sure that we always align ourselves with the right.
i. In Scripture right is always associated with doing things God’s way.
1. Swindoll states: ‘Right,’ however, is yet another symbol. It represents that which is worthy of our effort and pursuit. ‘A wise man goes in the direction of that which is worth his time and effort. A foolish person (to continue the symbolism) goes toward the left.’ That’s the thought. Scripture is replete with occasions depicting the right hand as where God is. The Lord Jesus is said to be seated on the right hand of the throne of God. Psalm 16:8 says that the Lord ‘is at my right hand.’ Psalm 121:5 adds that ‘the Lord is your shade on your right hand.’ It’s a picture of protection and power and the very presence of God on the right hand. A wise person goes God’s way. A fool doesn’t. A fool plays in the left zone. A fool is encouraged by the excitement and the adventure of wrong. He or she traffics in that territory. It’s as simple as left and right” (page 288).
b. Solomon tells us in verse 3 that all you have to do to determine if someone is being foolish or not is watch what road they are walking down and observe their choices and their actions.
i. Verse 3: “Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is.”
1. What is Solomon implying here?
a. The fool goes the wrong way all the time.
b. He does not listen to directions from others who try to point him in the right direction.
c. He does not ask for directions and continues to go the wrong way thinking that he knows better than others – who have been done the right path.
i. Solomon told us this in verse 15: “A fool’s work wearies him; he does not know the way to town.”
1. A fool is so lost he has no clue how to get to town or to eternal life!
d. He refuses to look at the road maps provided by the ultimate map maker - God!
e. His life is one of wandering around in circles lost and going nowhere.
f. His journey of life has gone nowhere and it has no eternal value attached to it – they have never gone anywhere that has true meaning!
i. Quote from Draper’s quotations: “A fool wanders; the wise man travels.”
2. Solomon is saying – A stupid person is easy to recognize because nothing is hidden because you can see that their body is filled with scars from all of the crashes they have been involved in.
a. Their life path is continually causing them to have head on collisions.
b. They are often the ones overturned in the ditch.
c. They are often in one accident after another.
d. They are the ones driving the wrong way beeping their horns at others who are going the right way.
e. They are the ones constantly being ticketed and yet they stay on the wrong road going the wrong way.
3. They never listen and a long line of accidents and injured people trail after them.
a. James 1:19-26: 19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
b. James tells us that a wise person will be quick to listen to the Word of God and then do what it says!
T.S. – A foolish person chooses to go the wrong way and therefore it becomes obvious to those who are going the right way. A foolish person also fails to keep his emotions and mouth in check.
III. A foolish act by a person is one that does not know how to keep their emotions in check and instead they overreact to certain situations with foolish actions and foolish words.
a. Solomon tells us in verse 4 to make sure that we do not overreact in certain situations of life especially with those in authority and he adds we must guard our mouths and our emotions even in private verse 20.
i. Verse 4: “If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.”
ii. Verse 20: “Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.”
b. How many here can relate to allowing their emotions to dictate how they respond to a certain situation in life?
i. Solomon tells us that wise people will respond to hot headed bosses with calmness instead of unbridled anger.
1. We just read about this in James 1 were we are told to be slow to anger!
a. In other words manage your anger appropriately remain calm – watch what you say to others!
b. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:26, 27:
i. 26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.”
1. Paul tells us that we can be angry just don’t cross the line into sin.
2. Make sure that the anger does not take root in your heart toward another or you will give the devil a foothold in your life!
c. I wrote a sermon about 5 years ago when I was preaching through the book of James and I addressed the power of the tongue – listen to some of my thoughts:
i. James tells us that if we want to pursue perfection in Jesus then we need to control our tongues and make sure the words that come off it are fruitful Godly words. The warning he throws at us is the uncontrolled tongue leads to the whole body being set on fire by hell’s flames.
1. My opening illustration was set in motion when I told them that the most powerful force in the universe was in the box I was holding. I asked them to guess what that might be – In the covered box was a real cows tongue. So when I opened it was quit shocking.
a. I proceeded to tell them that this has been one of the most powerful forces in this world in which we live it can either bring life or death into relationships. It can either bring harmony or chaos into relationships. It can either bring peace or war. It is one of the most feared and praised forces in the world and each one of you possess one of these little atomic tools. This week in James 3 we are going to discover just how dangerous this weapon can be if it is not kept in check. Let us read James 3:1-10.
i. James 3:1-10: 1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
ii. Proverbs 12:18: “ 18Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
iii. Proverbs 18:21: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
iv. James 1:26: “26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
2. Words have been responsible for starting wars and also ending wars. Words either unite people or divide people in this world. Words of individuals will determine that persons future and life. Words of individuals will affect other people’s attitudes and emotions. Words the little sounds that spill out of our mouths everyday impact the world around us. These sounds which flow out of the heart and into the mouth and out into the air carry an amazing amount of power. I believe that words are the most powerful force in the universe.
a. Mike Murdoch has this to say about the power of words: Words created the world Genesis 1:1-31; Words create your world Proverbs 18:21. Jesus said that your words reveal what kind of heart you possess “…for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” Luke 6:45. Jesus said words can move mountains Mark 11:23 (Pages 121,122).
3. The truth is everyone of your words matter, they influence someone either negatively or positively. How many times have you heard someone say, “I wish I would never have said that!”
4. The uncontrolled words of the tongue which we called “The Wild Thing” has the ability to destroy with lethal force a church, a country, a relationship, a family, a marriage and yes even a life. Words that flow from your tongue cut deeper than a knife into others hearts and minds.
5. I have counseled more people who have been devastated by the words of another person. It has affected them emotionally, spiritually, physically, and relationally. I have seen people give up because of people’s harsh words. Proverbs 18:21 states, “death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
a. Video Illustration “gossip” from Blue Fish TV
6. Some of you do not believe that you can speak life or death to others.
a. But you can and some of you have. Some people allow the wild thing to lash out at others and it explodes in people’s lives like grenades.
b. I pray right now that God would bring back to your memory the times when you have done this so you can understand the devastation this causes in others lives.
7. I have watched and observed the tongue literally destroy people’s lives. I have spent hours working with people who have been decimated by the explosion of untamed tongues. It’s statements like these that cut to the heart of life:
a. “You are worthless!’
b. “You are stupid!”
c. “Your lack of faith has made you sick!”
d. “Your lack of faith has made you poor!”
e. “You must be perfect or God does not love you!’
f. “You are a loser!”
g. “You cannot do anything right!”
h. “It’s all your fault!”
i. “I wish you were never born!”
j. “I hate you!”
k. “It’s their fault that I am angry!”
l. “Our marriage takes so much work. We must not be right for each other.”
m. “You are the one responsible for all our problems!’
n. “You will never change!”
o. “You should never have been born!”
p. “You don’t need to go to church!’
q. “You don’t have to tithe!”
r. “You don’t have to obey the Ten Commandments!”
s. “You committed the unpardonable sin!”
t. “You can’t do anything right!”
i. Proverbs 12:18 “…reckless words pierce like a sword.”
d. This is what fools do they overreact and allow their tongues to heap destruction onto others and then it all comes back to hit them in the head in the end.
i. Solomon reminds us of this dangerous cycle in the following verses from this chapter:
1. “12 Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. 13 At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness— 14 and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming—who can tell him what will happen after him?”
e. Quotes about anger:
i. “Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.” BILLY GRAHAM (1918 – )
ii. “People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.” WILL ROGERS (1879–1935)
iii. “Satan’s most successful maneuver in churches and Christian organizations is to get people angry at one another; to attack and insult our brothers and sisters, thus splitting the body of Christ.” JAMES C. DOBSON (1936 – )
iv. “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” AMBROSE GWINNETT BIERCE (1842–C. 1914)
1. Solomon warns us to avoid foolishness by keeping our actions in check and by keeping our tongues in check.
T.S. – Solomon tells us to be wise by keeping our emotions in check and our words in check and then to make sure we use caution in life when we are doing risky things.
IV. A foolish act is one that does not use caution or planning when doing a risky act in life.
a. In verses 8-11 Solomon spells out some obvious thoughts to the reader about the importance of being prepared when we choose to do risky acts in life.
i. Listen to his thoughts:
1. “8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success. 11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.”
a. Solomon is telling us that a person who is wise will not dig a hole and then fall into it himself.
i. I see so many people today digging their own holes and then falling into them to have the hole cave back in on them!
1. This has caused many people a lot of unnecessary injury!
b. Solomon is telling us to watch out for snakes when we are doing any demolition projects.
i. In Israel this was a real problem because when they tore done an old building they would have to watch for snakes.
1. In other words use caution during times of demolition – don’t take unnecessary risks!
2. Remember this is symbolic of times in our lives when we must tear down things in our life so as to rebuild them correctly and to get breakthroughs.
a. Watch for the snakes then because they will bite you!
c. Solomon is telling us to be careful when mining stones because they may fall and hit you in the head.
i. Swindoll explains this thought this way:
1. Wisdom also teaches us about the quarrying of stones-like removing something of value, digging it out so that we can use it for ourselves at someone else’s expense, and in the process we ourselves get hurt. Today, we call it ‘poetic justice.’ But fools can’t understand this. They continue to live their entire, empty lives taking advantage of people-using and abusing them-either not knowing or, worse, not caring that they themselves are the losers in the process. How stupid can one get? Solomon’s hope is to awaken us to the advantages of wisdom.
2. He is seeking to enlighten us on how not to hurt ourselves!
d. Solomon also tells us to make sure that we sharpen the axe before we chop wood or we could injure ourselves.
i. In other words think ahead and prepare for the task at hand. Don’t go into the situation without being prepared.
ii. Be sensible and sharpen the axe so you can get the job done!
iii. Learn the necessary skills to succeed in life and prepare in advance!
e. Solomon’s next symbol is related to snake charmers which were more common in his era.
i. Swindoll states, “In certain sections of the Eastern world there have always been snake charmers. I could imagine a snake charmer getting ready to play his flute for the snake. And while he’s talking to this would-be customer who’s about to shell out a few shekels to watch it happen, the snake crawls out of the basket and bites the stranger on the leg. It’s very doubtful that he’s going to keep paying his money to watch the charmer bring the snake back out of the basket once he’s been bitten by the snake. That’s another way of saying, “Think ahead.”
ii. Another way to say is plan ahead!
1. The truth is failing to plan is a plan to fail.
2. 2 Chronicles 1:10 states, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
3. The key to planning is focus. God has given each of us a mission in life and that requires planning on our part to accomplish it.
iii. Biblical examples of planning ahead-thinking ahead. This is taken from Contagious Leadership Workbook pages 78-79:
1. God did it – “Have you not heard? Long ago I did it, from ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass…. (Isa. 37:26 NASB).
2. Noah did it – Noah received instructions from God and he faithfully followed God’s detailed plan to build the ark and prepare for the flood … (Gen. 7-9).
3. Nehemiah did it – His task was to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He planned the job out and recruited the families and assigned a certain portion of the wall to each. He planned and organized the project and it was a success… (Neh. 1-5).
4. Jesus stressed the importance of planning in his parables. Jesus made it clear that it was foolishness not to plan!
a. The wise and foolish builder – Matthew 7:24-27
b. The builder counting the cost – Luke 14:28-30
c. The King planning for battle – Luke 14:31-32
d. The unjust stewards – Luke 16:1-8
iv. Here are 12 steps to effective strategic planning form the workbook pages 81-86 by Maxwell mentioned above:
1. Plan to plan
2. Determine your primary purpose
3. Assess the situation
4. Prioritize the needs
5. Ask the right questions
6. Set specific goals
7. Communicate and clarify
8. Identify possible obstacles
9. Have an open system of planning
10. Manage and direct your resources
11. Monitor and correct
12. Study the results
T.S. – A foolish act is when a person is not careful to plan and be cautious while facing something that is risky.
V. A foolish act is also one were the person does not do their work and is instead lazy and just a partier.
a. Solomon tells us that a fool does not know how and when to work.
i. Listen to his thoughts:
1. “17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness. 18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.”
a. Solomon tells us that we are blessed if our leaders do their jobs.
b. Solomon tells us that a foolish act is laziness because if we fail to keep up the necessary repairs on our house then we are going to get wet when it rains.
c. Solomon says a wise person knows that the party life is not the answer because we need money to pay the bills and to live.
ii. Quote from Draper’s book of quotations;:
1. Quote: “Work is man’s great function. He is nothing, he can do nothing, he can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing, without working. If you are poor—work. If you are rich—continue working. If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities—work. If you are happy, keep right on working. Idleness gives room for doubt and fears. If disappointments come—work. If your health is threatened—work. When faith falters—work. When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead—work. Work as if your life were in peril. It really is. No matter what ails you—work. Work faithfully—work with faith. Work is the greatest remedy available for mental and physical afflictions.”
2. Quote: “Work is not primarily a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or should be, the full expression of the worker’s faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental, and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God.” DOROTHY L. SAYERS (1893–1957)
3. Quote: “Work is not a curse, it is a blessing from God who calls man to rule the earth and transform it so that the divine work of creation may continue with man’s intelligence and effort.” POPE JOHN PAUL II (1920– )
iii. How to Avoid Frustration from treasury of illustrations
1. Keep your shoulder to the wheel - Your hand to the helm - Your eye on the ball! - Your nose to the grindstone -Your ear to the ground - And you will not have time to - Put your foot in your mouth.
Conclusion:
To be wise and to avoid foolish acts that will hurt us in the end we need to do the following:
1. Guard our hearts and reputation by not committing a foolish act.
2. Choose to go down the right road laid out for us in God’s roadmap the Bible and not the wrong road.
3. Make sure you do not overreact to difficult situations with your actions or your mouth.
4. Make sure that when we are doing a risky task that we proceed with caution and the proper planning so that we can be successful.
5. Make sure that you work hard and boycott laziness in life.
THE DULL OF UNDERSTANDING from Illustrations Unlimited:
A certain man was troubled with dizzy spells. He went from one doctor to another and none could tell him what the problem was. He tried everything, it seemed. Finally, it was bothering him so much he started to lose weight, and he couldn’t sleep at night. He became a nervous wreck and his health began to deteriorate. He had lost hope that he would ever recover. So he decided to prepare for the worst. He made out his will, bought a cemetery plot, and even made arrangements with the local undertaker for what he was convinced was his soon demise. He even decided to buy a new suit of clothes to be buried in. When he went into the haberdasher’s he was measured for everything and picked out shoes, socks, coat, pants—and he asked for a size 15 shirt as well. The clerk said, “But, sir, you need a size 16½ shirt, not 15.” But the man insisted we wore a size 15 Finally, in exasperation the clerk said, “But if you wear a size 15 you’ll get dizzy spells.”
I believe it is time for all of us to use wisdom and avoid the acts of foolishness which keep making us dizzy and disables our righteous minds!
