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Fools Rush In

Ecclesiastes 10:8-11
2008.02.24
one28 Sunday worship

The phrase “fools rush in” originated from English poet, Alexander Pope. He wrote near the end of his An Essay on Criticism, “fools rush in where angels tread.” (By the way, this same essay also includes “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” as well as “A little learning is a dangerous thing.”) Pope’s point in the poem is that bad writing is bad, but bad criticism of bad writing is worse. Fools are quick to find fault and pick apart and do more damage than good. It causes harm when fools rush in.

In Ecclesiastes 10:8-11 the Preacher addresses the same problem: bad things happen when fools rush in, most often to the fool himself. Even though you won’t find the words “fool” or “folly” in verses 8-11, the previous section (1-7, Facts about Folly) and the following section (12-15, the fool and his words) clearly address fools. Therefore the context leads me to believe that these proverbs concern fools at work.

Verses 8-11 also seem to have their own cohesiveness as a unit. For example, “snake” links the first verse to the last verse of the section, while “splitting logs” and “iron” (axe) connect the middle.

Here is wisdom while you work: take appropriate precaution and make appropriate preparations.

Fools Rush in Without Caution (8-9)

Verses 8-9 share four snapshots of the consequences of working without caution. You’re bound to get hurt if you don’t pay attention.

Digging a Pit (8a)

Here is the first snapshot of the unmindful fool.

He who digs a pit will fall into it,

Most of the time in the Old Testament this illustration refers to retribution–getting what you deserve. For example, in Proverbs 26:27 and Psalm 7:15 wisdom recognizes that what goes around comes around. When you try and trap/hurt someone else you are likely to trap/hurt yourself. Perhaps the perfect example of this principle is in Esther 7 when Haman is hanged on the gallows he himself had specially crafted for Mordecai. So, he who digs a pit will fall into it (himself).

That is certainly true. There is sweet irony in much providential punishment. But in order for us to interpret retribution as the point here in Ecclesiastes 10:8 we’re forced to read ill-intentions into the will of the pit-diggers (whereas in Proverbs 26:27 and Psalm 7 the immediate context clearly refers to the wicked and the lying). Nothing is said about when this pit was dug or anything about the purpose of the pit. So I think it’s a stretch to say the point here is that you’ll be hurt if you try to hurt others. Instead, I think the point is simply be careful when you’re digging a pit!

Exercise caution. The walls might fall in on you, or as the verse suggests, if you’re not paying attention you might forget about the pit and accidentally fall into it yourself.

That kind of thing has happened to me before, not because I’ve dug lots of holes, but two summers ago when installing a new sprinkler system in our yard there were ditches all over. On a few occasions I stumbled into the trenches while retrieving tools in the dark. Even when you’re trying to do something good it may hurt you later if you don’t use your head.

Breaking a Wall (8b)

Here is the second snapshot of the oblivious fool.

and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.

Again there are some who suggest ill-intentions on the part of this wall-breaker, like he is trying to break into his neighbor’s house to steal. But also like the pit-digger, we have to read bad motives into the verse, not out of the verse. Besides, was this really the prevalent pattern of thievery?

So let’s take the verse as it is. If you are breaking through a wall–for whatever reason, good or bad–be careful.

Remember that walls in 1500 B.C. Israel were not like ours today. They didn’t have concrete blocks or bricks held together by thick mortar. Their walls were typically held together by small, loose fill where a snake could easily make a nest.

And if you know that it’s possible to find a snake in the wall, you’d be a fool to take no precautions. Use a tool, wear some gloves, or look around before you let your fingers do the walking. Fools rush in.

Quarrying Stones (9a)

Here is the third snapshot of the heedless fool.

He who quarries stones is hurt by them,

Solomon continues to make his point with another common work activity. And unlike the first two, nowhere is quarrying stones associated with wicked motives.

Someone is cutting rocks. Who knows the reason. Who knows whether large or small. Who knows how. But because there is the potential harm involved the rock-cutter should be careful. He shouldn’t stand right underneath a boulder he’s trying to loosen. Neither should he stand on top of a boulder he’s trying to loosen. Maybe he should cut away from himself and not toward himself.

The point is not that you can guarantee you’ll avoid hurt, but there are things to minimize the risk. Fools rush in.

Splitting Logs (9b)

Here is the fourth snapshot of the unconcerned fool.

and he who splits logs is endangered by them.

Likewise there are no suggestions of criminal log-splitters, so this is another simple, daily task that someone must do where it’s possible to get hurt.

The head of the axe might fall off the handle and land on your head. Deuteronomy 19:5 revealed the applicable law for accidently killing someone like this. But the likelihood of the axe head falling on your own head is minimal. Besides, the danger appears to be from the logs. A piece of wood might split off and stab your leg. A stack of logs might roll onto you. So be careful. Fools rush in.

In all four of these activities, no amount of precaution can guarantee one’s safety. You may not successfully avoid every accident. Yet the answer is not to stay home all day, lay on the couch for fear that you’re bound to be hurt. “Oh, I can’t do that, I might get hurt.” Solomon hates laziness and excuses. But even though you can’t guarantee your safety you can minimize risk by being cautious. Keep your head up. Pay attention to what you’re doing.

That has application for a lot of life. Use your head. Don’t rush into things without caution, you might get hurt.

Fools Rush in Without Preparation (10-11)

Two illustrations point out the wasted energy and potential danger of failing to make adequate preparations. Both begin with “if” and both require skill to get things ready.

Chopping Trees (10)

This verse leads to one of my favorite time management anecdotes of all time.

If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.

The iron is clearly an axe head (as the NAS interprets it to be). It is important to sharpen the edge if you want to chop trees successfully. Doug Wilson compares it to a “boy…trying to chop down a tree with a baseball bat.”

I heard a story once in a time management class based on this verse. It is the seventh principle in Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

There was a young man just out of high school from a small logging town. The young man really wanted to be a tree faller for the local logging company. Though he was too young for the position he applied anyway. He assured the foreman that he could do the job and eventually convinced the foreman to give him a shot.

The foreman assigned him a section of trees. He started fast and worked through the morning break. When lunch came he stopped just long enough to scarf down a sandwich and got right back to work. By the end of the afternoon he was exhausted and was far behind the required quota. As he met with the foreman he could not explain his poor performance. He worked hard all day, resting only for a few minutes.

The foreman asked, “Did you ever stop to sharpen your axe?” The young man replied, “I didn’t have time.”

The more he worked the more his blade dulled. The more his blade dulled the more he wasted his effort. If he would have worked smart, not just hard, he would have saved himself energy and accomplished more.

Solomon puts this in the wisdom category: wisdom helps one to succeed. A little preparation can save a lot of time and effort. It’s true in many areas of life. Use your head. Think ahead. Fools rush in. So brush your teeth. Change the oil in your car. Sharpen the saw.

Charming Snakes (11)

This is the second picture of preparation’s importance.

If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.

Snake charming is a little different from the previous activities. Whereas the others are necessary for life, most snake charmers were putting on a show. Nevertheless it was a mysterious occupation that took special skill. Solomon points out that if you don’t prepare properly it might be too late to use your skill.

Just because you know a charmer, just because he has skill, that skill is of no advantage if the snake bites first. Don’t rush in. Haste makes waste–of you. You can’t take short cuts and jump right in to some things. Some situations require counsel before it’s too late. There is no advantage if you’re dead. Fools rush in. Sure, maybe the snake won’t bite you, but it’s better to wait for the person who knows how to handle it.

In both cases, wisdom in preparation would have helped, either by saving energy or by saving life.

Conclusion

Work carefully and work smartly. Keep your head up and think ahead. Fools rush in. Take appropriate precautions and make appropriate preparations.