I Pity the Fool

He could have gone down as one of the greatest presidents in American history. Richard Nixon ended the draft, brought troops home from Vietnam, opened diplomatic relations with China, advanced civil rights, and oversaw the first moon landing. But all of that was overshadowed by one foolish decision—the Watergate break-in—that destroyed his legacy and ended his presidency in disgrace.

Nixon’s story reminds us that it only takes a little folly to create a big problem. That’s the message of Ecclesiastes 9:13–10:20, where the Preacher warns us that foolishness is celebrated, corrupting, common, and has consequences.

Foolishness Is Celebrated

The Preacher begins with a parable about a poor, wise man who saved his city from destruction—but was quickly forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:13–15). The world celebrates the flashy, the loud, and the powerful. Quiet wisdom often goes unnoticed.

The wise man’s words are “heard in quiet” (9:17), but the fool’s voice shouts above the noise. Our digital age magnifies this truth: social media rewards outrage and spectacle far more than reflection or depth. It’s easier to go viral than to grow wise.

Christians must resist that pull. Wisdom rarely trends. It lives in the quiet corners of faithful obedience, unseen by crowds but honored by God. If you choose the path of wisdom, don’t expect applause—expect obscurity.

Foolishness Is Corrupting

A little foolishness can spoil a lot of good. “Wisdom is better than weapons of war,” the Preacher writes, “but one sinner destroys much good” (9:18).

King Rehoboam learned this the hard way. Ignoring the counsel of the wise, he chose the foolish advice of his peers—and split the kingdom in two (1 Kings 12). One foolish act undid a generation of peace and prosperity.

The Preacher paints the picture vividly: “Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench” (10:1). Just one small fly can ruin an entire batch of perfume. In the same way, even a little folly can corrupt a life, a family, a church, or a nation.

So, where is your heart inclined? “A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left” (10:2). The Preacher isn’t making a political statement—he’s describing direction. Wisdom leans toward righteousness; folly leans toward sin.

Your media habits, your entertainment choices, your daily conversations—they all shape the direction of your heart. Like a thermostat, what you feed your mind will eventually set the temperature of your soul.

Foolishness Is Common

Given how destructive folly is, you’d think more people would avoid it. But the Preacher reminds us, “Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool” (10:3).

Fools broadcast their foolishness without even realizing it. In our age of constant posting and hot takes, folly has become a public performance.

The wise person, by contrast, learns the power of silence. “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something,” Plato once wrote. Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is simply say less.

That’s especially true when foolish leaders are in power. The Preacher warns, “If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest” (10:4). When you’re attacked or provoked, don’t react rashly. Wisdom responds with restraint.

Sadly, folly often rises to the top. “Folly is set in many high places,” the Preacher laments, “and the rich sit in a low place” (10:6). In other words, those least qualified to lead often end up in charge. The result is a world turned upside down—one where wisdom is overlooked and foolishness is celebrated.

Foolishness Has Consequences

The Preacher spends most of this section detailing the consequences of folly—personal, relational, and societal.

Personal Consequences

Foolishness often backfires. “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall” (10:8). Fools act hastily and suffer for it.

A wise worker sharpens his tools before cutting; a fool keeps swinging and wears himself out (10:10). Wisdom takes time. It plans ahead. It sharpens the axe before striking the tree.

That principle applies to nearly every area of life—from parenting to driving to ministry. One small act of impatience can lead to great harm. Wisdom slows down to think before it acts.

Relational Consequences

Folly also destroys relationships. “The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him” (10:12).

The fool talks too much and knows too little. He fills the air with noise and pretends it’s knowledge. But his words tear down rather than build up. True wisdom speaks with grace, not arrogance.

Relationally, this is devastating. The know-it-all might win arguments, but he loses friends. Wise people know when to speak—and when to stay silent.

Societal Consequences

Finally, folly infects entire societies. “Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!” (10:16). When rulers act like children—pursuing pleasure instead of responsibility—the nation suffers.

A society ruled by fools is like a house with a leaking roof (10:18). Neglect today leads to collapse tomorrow. History is filled with examples of nations that rotted from within long before they fell from without.

Meanwhile, fools sing songs of indulgence: “Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything” (10:19). Their anthem is pleasure, their god is comfort, and their end is ruin.

The Gospel and the Fool

It only takes a little folly to create a big problem. Just ask Richard Nixon. Or Adam and Eve. One small act of foolishness—one bite of forbidden fruit—plunged the entire human race into sin and death.

But there’s good news. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to undo our foolishness with divine wisdom. Jesus lived the perfect life we failed to live, died the death our folly deserved, and rose again to offer forgiveness to fools like us.

If you’ve made foolish choices—and who hasn’t?—there’s hope. You can’t rewrite your past, but you can be remade by grace.

Christ is our wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). Look to Him, and you’ll find not only forgiveness for your folly, but the power to walk wisely in a foolish world.

Big Idea: It only takes a little folly to create a big problem.

So guard your heart, watch your words, and fix your eyes on the One who bore your folly on the cross—so you could walk in His wisdom forever.