The Leadership Choice: Build or Break? | Ecclesiastes 10:16-17

Leadership builds—or it breaks. When wisdom leads, life thrives. When indulgence takes over, everything crumbles.

Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day.

Today, we’re looking at Ecclesiastes 10:16-17:

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! — Ecclesiastes 10:16-17

There’s a sharp contrast in these verses—two kinds of leadership, two kinds of outcomes. One brings ruin. The other brings blessing.

The first? A land suffering under immature leadership. A childlike ruler lacks wisdom, discipline, and the ability to steward responsibility well. His officials indulge themselves at the wrong time—feasting in the morning when they should be working, pursuing pleasure instead of purpose. Sound familiar? Leadership that lacks maturity and self-control leads to disorder.

The second? A land thriving under noble leadership. A king with the right heritage and training leads with wisdom. His officials feast “at the proper time”—not for self-indulgence but to strengthen themselves for the task ahead. This kind of leadership builds up instead of breaking down.

The leadership principle is clear: outstanding leadership requires discipline, wisdom, and self-control. Whether leading a family, a business, or simply yourself, the question is—are you indulging or building? Are you feeding your strength or feeding your weakness?

So, where do you need to shift from indulgence to discipline?

Leave a thought in the comments below, and let's make the shift together.

#LeadershipMatters #WisdomWins #BuildDontIndulge

1. Where have I allowed indulgence to replace discipline in my leadership?
2. How does my leadership impact those I’m responsible for?
3. What steps can I take today to grow in wisdom and self-control?
4. How does my relationship with God shape the way I lead?

Identify one area where indulgence has weakened your leadership, and commit to practicing discipline instead.

Lord, give me the wisdom and discipline to lead well, whether in my family, work, or personal life. Help me resist indulgence and pursue purpose, building up rather than breaking down. Amen.

Lead The Way.