“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.” Ecclesiastes 10:1
I can’t think of anything more grotesque than flies, the bacteria-ridden insects that hop from one foul, soured thing to another. They can be found lighting on everything from the barnyard to a picnic.
No matter how minute they might be, just the thought of one landing on your food, touching your skin, or zooming around your head is repulsive. There is never enough room – anywhere you may be – for a fly in your life.
Not too long ago, we bought some flytrap bags you hang on a tree, carport, or a fence to help alleviate the fly problem at our farm. Each bag could hold several hundred flies. While these bags were amazing at helping rid ourselves of a problem, the stench of each bag was so horrific, we could smell them when we got out of our vehicle, even though we were in a wide-open space.
Solomon pens a fascinating fact in Ecclesiastes 10:1, describing just how devastating sinful actions, be they minor or major, are to a leader, or may I say believer, and the damage it does to one’s reputation.
Just as destructive as dead flies are to the fragrance and goodness of ointment or anointing oil, so is the consequence of sin in the life of an honorable man or woman. No matter how big or little the sin in our lives may be, it still emits negative, damaging, and disgusting odors that bring no glory to God, nor to ourselves.
Instead of laughing, joking, dismissing, and discounting our unprofessional and unholy habits, take time to notice just how full of life-damaging bacteria they are and how they destroy the sweet savor of a righteous life.
Our prayer for you this week: May you rid yourself of the spiritual flies that destroy the sweet fragrance your life should be radiating.
