ECCLESIASTES 4.13-16

13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knows not how to receive admonition [counsel, warning] any more.

14 For out of prison he came forth to be king; although in his kingdom he was born poor.

15. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor.

16. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The theme coping better and functioning more effectively with this present evil world continues as Solomon stresses the critical importance of learning and accepting correction – an ability too often lost by those who experience success.

Accordingly, the parable concerns an old king who has become so foolishly set in his ways that he can no longer accept admonition or heed a warning – although the phrase any more seems to suggest that he once did have the humility to do so.

Although the Christians in the Early Church may have been “saints”, which simply means called out and set aside by God for a holy purpose, they were not perfect people. Perhaps we should not be surprised, therefore, that like the old king, some of those at Corinth had also lost the willingness to examine themselves, admit their shortcomings and make necessary changes of their own volition. The consequences of this spiritual apathy were very serious, as Paul explains when he says, Quote: “ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgement. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world” (1 Cronthians11:30-32).

Speaking specifically of God’s discipline, and quoting Solomon’s own words from Proverbs, Paul also says, Quote: “Do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves and punishes everyone he accepts as a son” (Hebrews 12:5-6).

Peter also stresses the need for self-examination and spiritual development when he urges Christians, Quote: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Christian belief is not a stagnant state – nor will God allow Christians to stagnate.

Those who are receptive and teachable enough to accept God’s correction share an awesome calling, which is described by Jesus when he says, Quote: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth” (Matthew 5:5).

Perhaps Solomon is also urging us in this section, as we begin to live and work in harmony with others people, to cast off the unhelpful baggage of worldly concepts of social class and position – and value the creative potential and ability that resides in the heart of the poorest of people. For this very reason, James had to rebukes leaders in the early Church who continued to showed special favouritism in seating wealthy and well-dressed individuals who came into their congregations (James 2:1-7).

In fact, as the New Testament makes clear in many places, it is not the wealthy and powerful of this present world that God is calling to train for positions of rulership in his Kingdom, but the foolish and the poor (1 Corinthians 1:27) – those crushed by circumstance and humble enough to listen and learn (1 Corinthians 6:2-4). Perhaps this is why, speaking of such matters, Jesus says, Quote: “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:27-30).

Another lesson here may be that human beings can be very fickle, and that familiarity easily breeds contempt – so that, in due time, even the new young king that Solomon describes lost his popularity, and people began looking around for yet another new leader.

Surprisingly, such was even the experience of Paul and the other apostles in the Early Church, as people who had apparently repented and turned thankfully to God, soon became critical of what they had been taught and those who taught them, falling easy prey to false teachers and even false apostles who were ready, willing and able to preach a softer message (2 Corinthians 11, 2 Peter 2, Galatians 1:6-10, 2 Timothy 3).