Ecclesiastes 10 -- Foolish Leadership

Solomon takes on politics as he discusses foolishness.  He’d likely seen a lot of bowing and scraping, but also knew what was really going on behind his back.

A key indicator of foolishness is an inability to control oneself.  “He who is slow to anger is better than the might, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Prov. 16:32).

My commentary differentiated between righteous indignation and simple jealousy and malice disguised as holy zeal for God, particularly in religious leaders, since they would be the ones claiming to be acting for God.

Solomon also thought that a ruler who was too pliable was also a fool, putting incompetent people in high offices and leaving competent people doing menial jobs.  “The best rulers and leaders … are tough-minded but tenderhearted, who put the best people on the horses and don’t apologize for it,” my commentary said.  (This was in reference to what Solomon’s son Rehoboam had done, choosing his young friends as advisors rather than the older and wiser men who’d served his father, actually making the older men walk while the younger men rode horses.)  “It is a judgment of God when a people are given immature leaders.  This can happen to a nation or to a local church.  It is wrong for a believer to be thrust into leadership too soon, having no maturity or experience.”

Father, we so desperately need to hear this.  We have let popularity overrule competence and we suffer greatly as a result.  Please give us wise leaders and restore what we are losing and have already lost.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford