Madness or Grace

DEVOTION

ECCLESIASTES

MADNESS OR GRACE

Eccl 10:12-15

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.

NIV

What kind of words do we speak, wise or unwise? It would seem the fool simply talks about himself all the time. The wise man talks about the other person, but not just about them, but has gracious words for them. Words that lift someone up, build them up, encouraging words. The foolish man spends all his conversation relating how great he is, or how holy he is, or how spiritual, that is if that fool is a believer. The non-believing fool simply expounds on his accomplishments. Its madness because it does not matter what he says, it is all folly. Some fools claim they do not sin. Oops. Should not say that, it does not build up. But the truth is the truth. We have to know our words can either damage or heal. Let us be gracious in our speech. However there is still more to these words of ours within the context of the thought about no one knowing what is coming, the who can tell him what will happen after him and the wearisome of the fools work and how he does not know his way to town. It seems it speaks of the hereafter, the way to heaven, to eternal life. The fool simply does not know his way to eternal life. He considers being a good person, he wears himself out trying to attain enough goodness to make it to heaven. This might even relate to those who call themselves Christian, as it is all about good works. It just wears them out. No one can do enough good works. We have to be wise about things, and speak of grace, our words should to be about grace, not about works, not about what we do, but about what God did. Grace does not wear us out, works do. If we are consumed with what we do, then we are not speaking gracefully. So let us keep our words about the grace of God. Let us always remember to speak and act with grace toward others. Grace does not judge. Grace does not condemn. Grace does not gossip. Grace does not envy or keep a record of wrongs. Grace is not rude. Grace does not boast. Grace is not prideful. Grace is one of the definitions or character traits of God. We should examine our words carefully and make sure they are not folly or madness, but of grace.