With Election Day coming up this Tuesday I’m reminded of one of my favorite verses, Ecclesiastes 10:2: The heart of the wise inclines to the right,but the heart of the fool to the left. When Solomon, inspired by God, wrote of a wise man’s heart, he knew what he was talking about. 1 Kings 4 speaks of Solomon’s great wisdom and insight which was given to him by the Lord. What does this verse mean? Here are some ancient Hebrew thoughts on the verse.
Most people were right-handed, so the right hand was usually thought of as the strongest and most dexterous hand. The wise man knows the best way to accomplish a task, by using his right hand in a dominant manner over the left. The foolish man will not use his natural strength or agility and he will stumble and fail in his task. The wise man does all things well and justly; the fool does the opposite. The ancients used to call things wise and prudent the right hand and things foolish the left hand. These can stand for the greater and lesser good; or perhaps Ecclesiastes 10:2, as in some later Hebrew writings, is speaking of good and evil. On the surface the verse seems very straightforward: The heart of the wise inclines to the right,but the heart of the fool to the left.
A lot of people are concerned, worried, and even fearful of what might happen depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s elections. But Christians should not be. Because God is in control and His kingdom is unshakable (Hebrews 12:28) and eternal and that is where our citizenship is (Philippians 3:20). If your anxious about it, then pray about it (Philippians 4:6-7) and if you are so inclined exercise your right to vote, but do not be fearful because we belong to the Almighty Sovereign God and He always takes care of His people (see Hebrews 13:5-6). This Sunday’s lesson will come from Psalm 91 which is a glowing testimony to the security of those who trust in God. The audio of the lesson will be available on the website under Sermon Audio File.
Praying everyone is staying safe, sane, and healthy!
In Christ,
Gary T.