The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes: Fools

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil. Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.
For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words, and destroy the work of your hands?
With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words; but fear God.
If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a plowed field.
The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.
When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep. ~ Ecclesiastes 5:1-12

He who breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring



Something I've been reminded of is that the word "fool" in the Bible has a much stronger connotation than when we use it today. We tend to use the following definition for fool (or something like it): "a person who person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person."
In scripture when we hear or read fool, there is a darker connotation. Here is someone who not only acts unwisely, but wickedly or egotistically. The fool is rash, immoral, and prideful.
We see often in wisdom literature in the Bible how bad it is to be considered a fool, and some of that behavior we probably see on the television or in the news on a daily basis. 
Sometimes even by those who we know are supposed to be the opposite of fools!
If we read this passage closely, we see that the human condition has not changed all that much, has it?
So where today to we go to for the wisdom to know how to not be foolish?
What else guides us in our lives besides scripture?
Who else guides us?
There seems to be a rash of "fools" on the world stage. How do we wade through their rash words and find God's words of love instead?

Prayer: Good and gracious God, help us to see past foolishness to your wisdom. Let that wisdom be our guide! Amen.

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