Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verse 1

 The style here is that Solomon states an obvious and then follows it

with his point. Sort of like a, “That’s true, and just like that, this is

also true.” It’s a familiar style to impart wisdom.

 Dead flies caught in the perfume cause it to stink… Unless they are

removed. Or unless the perfume is covered/protected. It’s certainly a

lesson in being careful to create and reinforce the brand and reputation

that you want… And, it’s also a lesson in dealing with the dead flies.

 The fly doesn’t stink when it lands in the ointment. It doesn’t even

stink when it dies. It stinks when it putrefies. So, let God deal with the

things that need dealt with. Because if you just let them sit, they’ll

stink. And the best parts of you can become the biggest problems for

you.

 For example, I am super aggressive towards that which is profitable.

That which is good for me and good for others. I hunt it. I hate waste

and the crazy thing about that is there’s always a hunt, because things

can always be improved. Makes me incredibly good in some

environments but incredibly terrible in others. At work, tempered with

patience and politics, outstanding capability. In relationships, not so

much…

 So, this is one where I have to pluck out flies to make sure the

ointment stays pleasing. Change expectations to appreciation and

reframe profit in my own heart and mind to be the happiness and

levity of the other person.

 Then, what’s good about me stays and becomes incredibly profitable.

Still super aggressive towards betterment but now genuinely defining

better not by the practical benefit brought to me or the other person

but by the relational joy brought to me or the other person.

 Let God deal with that which causes you issues. Whether it’s at work,

in your marriage, with your parents, whatever. Or, you’ll start to give

off a foul odor in presence… No one likes High Karate! HA! It stinks!

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verses 2 – 3

 The right hand is commonly referred to as the hand of favor and

power. For example, we read in Mark 14:62, “You will see the Son of

Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds

of heaven.” The wise empower and gain value for their heart.

Character and confidence and courage and purpose. The fool doesn’t

place a high value on refinement of heart… And the kicker is, through

how they live and what their life ends up being, it’s obvious.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verse 4

 This is so gold! Service pacifies offense! This is so true. Conciliation,

wholesome yielding in the Hebrew, is to make yourself to serve

another. Humility is a super power and super weapon of great

fortune for the wise. Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

 Some of y’all are programmed by past circumstantial self-protection to

default to answering back with defense. It serves well against tyrants

and abusers. It serves very poorly with people that matter and that love

you. Conciliation, humility, a bowing of the knee is proper for

meaningful relationships. The wise know it because they have their

hearts in their right hands…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verses 5 – 7

 This is an evil under the sun for sure and in a perfect world, this would

be reversed. AND, there is one part of this circumstance that is right

and that is the prince is the prince and the servants are the servants.

They’re just out of place in terms of position. If you are a prince

walking on the ground, you’ll be ok with that. Because you know that

you’re a prince. Does that make sense?

 Doesn’t matter if you have a lot, have a little. Do you know who and

what you are? If you stare at the servant on the horse and hate them for

it then you are not prince, you’re right where you should be, looking

up at them. But if you look up at them, knowing who they are and

happy that they enjoy what they don’t deserve, you are a prince. In

fact, you are just like THE Prince of peace… Because that is grace.

 He hung on the cross and looked down at the sinners who were

standing. That should have all been reversed. Isaiah 53:10-12 says,

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When

You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall

prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His

hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His

knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear

their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the great,

and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out

His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and

He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verses 8 – 10

 No one digs just a pit. They dig a hole and then fill it with a tree, or

foundation, or for a purpose. This speaks of leaving things undone or

doing things that are meaningless. The stone and the wood speak of

calculation of cost or awareness of danger. The wise are awake to

both.

 I love that last statement. Translated as “wisdom bring success.” I

could preach a whole series on that statement! The Hebrew is fantastic

here. Its wisdom brings you directly to advantage and profit. It’s a

lovely truth. There for anyone. Anyone can swing an axe, but not

everyone knows how to sharpen one. It’s the difference between 50x

energy for 10x profit or 5x energy for 50x profit.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verses 11 – 15

 Solomon is hinting at something that some find to be common sense

and others don’t find really at all! HA! Social cues. When you’re

talking to someone, always be mindful to leave them wanting to talk to

you more. If not, you will continue to go to them rather than the other

way around and eventually they will most likely maneuver to steer

clear of you!

 Simple cues like hints about what they are needing to do or what they

are going to do next. Physical cues such as a subtle move towards

ending the conversation. A look at the watch. A glance at someone

else that they perhaps need to speak with.

 A few just tactful tips as well. Talk about them if you want them to

want to talk to you. So many get right to business or talk about

themselves or talk about what they think is important, all of those

things are word multipliers to the hearers. Ask them about themselves,

compliment them, show interest in what they find interesting, and

then, make sure you are one that easily releases. Just some tactful tips

to small talk and being the person people either want to talk to or the

person that wonders why people don’t call…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verses 16 – 17

 We feast when the work is complete. Not before. If you feast before,

what is the reward of your labor? So, you accomplish the work, then

you rest. That is one of the secrets of personal satisfaction because

then your rest is substantive and a thing of strength rather than laziness

which becomes a sense of entitlement. And no one entitled was ever

happy…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verse 18

 Decay and leaks materialize over time. Rarely does decay happen in

an instant or a leak develop spontaneously. There is always something

that causes both, leads to both, and it’s typically a lack of maintenance.

All things in life that will last and thrive will need intentional

maintenance. Relationships, ministries, careers, mental well-being…

The fool doesn’t understand this and due to what they miss, they end

up frustrated in the future…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verse 19

 Money answers everything. Ok, first of all, there is a spiritual

application here. Money answers feasting and merriment but it doesn’t

answer the condition of the soul. Isaiah 55:1-2 says, “Ho! Everyone

who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money, come,

buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without

price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages

for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

and let your soul delight itself in abundance.”

 So, while money may easily solve many practical problems in regards

to daily amusement and feasting, it does not solve the things that in the

end, end up to be the important issues of life.

 Second, the word for money is also that which is of silver, in the

Hebrew. So feasting is great, laughing and enjoying. And wine makes

someone merry, but that which answers everything about you and

about me and in our heart of hearts is that which is like unto silver.

Natural if you will, created and given by God and in and of itself has

intrinsic value…., and lasts.

 Think of this. They paid Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, with silver. A

natural metal created by Jesus Himself…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 Verse 20

 Yes, and yep. On one hand, what you say that you would never say in

front of them can and often does get back to them. And, what you say

about them in private will be revealed in your face towards them in

public. We think we hide it but everyone is bad at this. Why? Because

we see and hear so much more than we see and hear.

 Studes have show that 60ish% of what is heard in a communication is

nonverbal. Countless signals. Facial expressions, gestures, posture and

orientation, eye behavior, proxemics and touch, variations of voice,

reactions and on and on and on… So, yea, what you say about

someone is said to them always in one way or another.

 Be anxious for nothing but by everything in prayer… Pray for your

enemies… All of these things God tells us to do in private, why?

Because He knows how much it will bless and benefit us in our lives.

And help us to get over stuff, move on, get focused on the silver…

What actually matters and ultimately to experience fellowship with

Him. Who is wise, free, eternal and the definition of everything that is

good….