Ecclesiastes 10
Bible Passage: Ecclesiastes 10
In today’s reading, Solomon warns us of the dangers of foolish behavior, to avoid foolishness at any cost.
Dead flies putrefy[a] the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor
Here, foolishness is likened to dead flies, causing the perfume to rot and decay with an offensive odour. Nobody would want to continue using their DKNY Apples or Chanel No 5s if they spot dead flies in their favourite fragrance. A few flies cause the entire bottle goes to waste.
Similarly, a tiny bit of foolishness can destroy the powerful fragrance of a person’s dignity and reputation.
As Christians in the True Church for many years, while we may be well versed in bible scriptures and active in church works, we have to watch ourselves, lest a moment of folly cause a lifetime of regret.
Unfortunately we hear of church ministers who served the Lord and the Church actively for many years, many members look up to them, but one mistake as a result of their foolishness caused them to stumble, or even leave the Church.
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
James 1:5
If we come before God with a humble heart and ask Him to fill us with His wisdom, He will grant this prayer.
One of my favourite memory verse is:
“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.
Proverbs 9:10
We must first have fear and reverence of God, only then will we submit ourselves to Him, obey His commandments, and be ruled by Him.
May God fill us with His godly wisdom.
Blessed Sabbath!
2 Comments
Sherman
“Unfortunately we hear of church ministers who served the Lord and the Church actively for many years, many members look up to them, but one mistake as a result of their foolishness caused them to stumble, or even leave the Church.” – The healthy man does not need a doctor. It is not the act of foolishness that tears down the faith for the person, but the persistence in that foolishness that tears it.
No man is perfect, we all make mistakes. What differentiates the wise from the un-wise is that the wise recognizes errors, sins or foolishness and their turning away from that folly, acceptance of the subsequent ‘repercussions’ / punishments and their personal growth in understanding.
King David (a man after the heart of God) committed a terrible act of treachery against Urriah. Yet what happened when Nathan confronted him? When he recognised his folly, he repented (instead of justifying that wrong doing), accepted the terrible punishments that came despite his repentance with the death of his son and the tearing apart of his family as foretold by God. King David repented and also accepted the painful punishments that God meted out, remaining true to his God.
Matthew 7:26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
Let no one remain foolish by only hearing but not doing.
YSL
I wonder what Solomon was thinking when he wrote this. I can’t reproduce half of what he writes! He must have gone through so much, and applied wisdom to his observations. Church ministers are not the only ones I guess whose reputation matters, every single member, older brother or sister and friend also count, and their influence could very well be greater.