Text: Ecclesiastes 10:1-11
“If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.” —Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NKJV)
There’s an old story about two lumberjacks who had a contest to see who could chop the most wood. One was a young, strong man who could chop relentlessly. He was convinced he would win easily against the older lumberjack who was on the back end of his tree felling days.
The rules were simple. Whoever chopped the most wood during their shift would win. They were working on opposite sides of a little ridge, so they could hear each other, but couldn’t see their progress. What the younger lumberjack could see, though, were the numerous breaks the veteran kept taking. Over and over, the energetic fellow would see his competition sitting up by the tent, ax on his lap.
When the competition was over, much to the surprise of the younger lumberjack, the older man had a pile that dwarfed his own. He was convinced the man cheated. “How could you have won? I saw all the breaks you were taking!” The experienced lumberjack chuckled. “You thought those were breaks? I was sharpening my ax.”
In Ecclesiastes 10, the wisest king in ancient Israel offers much contrast between the heart of the wise and the heart of fools. In verse 10, we come to a timeless principle in which the wise will apply:
“If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.” —Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NKJV)
Solomon teaches us that “success” is not about the brute force in our swing, but the wisdom in sharpening the blade. We are all prone to losing our cutting edge in life, so we need to be intentional about reclaiming that edge. For some, sharpening the edge might necessitate more rest, margin, or “breathing room.” None of us are immune to physical weariness or emotional exhaustion that comes from the exertion of constantly swinging away at the daily stuff of life. The scriptural mandates for rest and Sabbath are not about legalism, but that our “blades” get sharpened.
The wisdom implied here can also mean working smarter rather than harder. It could entail adding further life skills, people skills, or getting better at your craft/trade. “Wisdom helps one to succeed,” and often success in life is tied more to good preparation than execution. For some, wisdom in sharpening the blade might be about subtraction, such as going on a social media fast to unplug from the constant barrage of every current affair under the sun, thus making room for creativity and imagination to once again flourish in the green room of your soul. The sharpening might come in the form of a new venture or discipline—learning a second language, taking up a healthy hobby, or starting that exercise plan of which you’ve been procrastinating. The fool will continue to use a dull ax, instead of being wise and sharpening the edge.
The very obvious application is that we need to be growing in more godly wisdom rather than the mere determination of human strength. One of the surest ways to labor with a dull blade is to fail to spend time in God’s Word due to overcrowded and overbusied lives. That is where we find ourselves exerting in our own sufficiency, while forfeiting the wisdom God longs to grant us for better results and more fruitful outcomes. If you want a sharp ax, you can’t shortcut time spent in the presence of God and His living Word. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive us for swinging away with a dull ax. You long to impart wisdom that we can be more efficient and effective in fleshing out your kingdom-come in our daily lives. We need the wisdom and sufficiency that you give to have a sharper edge. Holy Spirit, teach us how to abide in that sufficiency in our daily rhythms of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:
- What are the benefits of godly wisdom in our lives?
- Think of a season in your life when you were swinging away with a dull blade. What did that look like?
- Describe a time when you hurt someone else as the result of an “unwise” decision or action. What were the consequences?
- Is there an area of your life where the ax might be dull now? What could be the long-term effects of this?
- To sharpen your ax, consider something you might need to add, subtract, or create margin for in your daily rhythms. How can you begin to apply this?
