From an entry on June 10, 2004: Eccl. 19:1 "As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." Now what did Solomon mean by that? Well, after thinking about this, I believe Solomon got it exactly right, and he possibly learned it from personal experience! Although he was noted for his wisdom, he has been remembered for his follies!
We have a God who loves us so much that He overlooks and does not remember our follies--those "dead flies"--and we then, are called to overlook these things in one another. Unfortunately, the world holds the church and its individuals responsible for the "dead flies" in our past. We can guess what they are or were--the Crusades, the Inquisition, the church's apathy during the Holocaust, hypocrisy, Sunday morning Christians, and much more. The world sees and remembers the church as flawed, which encourages the world to turn away from God without a bad conscience. So, the Church's follies may outweigh its goodness and righteousness.
It is also true of individuals. No matter how good one is or tries to be, a person is remembered by the "little follies" he or she creates from being away from our Lord, as we tend to forget that Jesus leads our way. The smell of "dead fly" covers up the good and right conveyed by the love of Jesus.
God, May my "dead-flies-stink" be detected by those around me who have a tolerant eye, and may I remember my own follies and be gracious when the odor is from another. Help us to have the tolerance and love that comes from you, like the sweet smell of violets. Amen.
May your life be filled with the smell of violets, and your hours reveal the touch of Jesus.
Jo INMN
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