Saturday, March 17, 2007

Dead Flies and Snake Charmers: More Life Under the Sun - Lesson 11

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. Ecc 10:1

Hershey's makes chocolate in huge vats. One day a rat fell into chocolate vat. What is remembered?

A dead fly introduces decomposition and it gives off a stink. A fly is like a moment in a lifetime.

A person can be known for their integrity and everything but they do one thing wrong and that will be what is remembered forever. It is similar with some presidents. A good reputation is a great thing: guard it.

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. John 12:3

Mary had done a good thing, a great ointment and the disciples gave it a stink.

Have some taken the fragrance of Christianity and made it stink by a wrong representation? Some of us are those dead flies.

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. verse 2

"According to the ancients the left is carnal and the right is truth and favor." The right side = God's hand, right way; The left side = wrong way, wrong side.

Solomon is not talking about anatomical things; he is talking about our nature. Matthew 25: the sheep and goats. Goats are on the left.

Matt 6:3 If you are doings good things from the motive of love don't let your carnal side capitalize on the good things that your right is doing.

A wise man is motivated by right reasons; a fool by bad reasons.

Jacob and Esau were motivated by different reasons.

Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil:... Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: Pr 12:20-22

Fear of consequences makes someone non-criminal, not ethical.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The habits of the mind change the mind. So external actions affect your mind which affects your actions.

Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. Verse 3

The way some process decisions is a foolish process. They are unlucky and they stumble all the way.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. Verse 4

If you are on the spot because your employer is upset with you, stay there and he will get over it. If a ruler looses his temper with you, don't loose yours.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

People who are wise and dignified are suddenly at a low station; and vice versa. Napoleon and the French Revolution. It happens among employers. Peter principle - do well and they move up, until they don't do well.

This reminds me of Haaman.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

The Lord is like a wall/hedge about us, and whoso breaks through shall be bitten by the serpent.

Pr 26:27

Absolom; Haaman; others who built a trap for others and ended up in their own trap.

This works positively too. Bless those who curse and the Lord will bless you.

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Verse 10

Sharp chainsaw chains

Education is important; Make your mind sharp and it will help you all your life.

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. Verse 11

"A serpent may bite without hissing first" - watch your step before you go.

Sometime you have to listen to people who have nothing to say to charm or help them

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. Verse 12

There is no virtue in being crude. Being kind and being gracious is a virtue.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? Verse 13, 14

Ecc Chapter 5

Even a fool is wise when he is silent Pr

Let our words be few.

Matt 12:34 Out of the heart the mouth speaks

The fool talks too much and works too little. A fool doesn't know much and so he talks much to cover up his little knowledge. The words of a wise man come from thinking before saying

God is in heaven; you are on earth: let your words be few.

James 3:2-3, 8-10

Why do people talk so much when they have nothing to say? Pride, etc.

Living in this sinful world you cannot control everything. We still trust in God even though some things bad may happen to us.

God is to be the denominator in our life.

"who can tell" - You don't know what's going to happen. This is a call to live in view of the fact that we don't know the future. We really don't know what's going to happen. Our Father in heaven knows what we need. This leads not to irresponsibility or negligence rather trust.

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. Verse 15

For a fool a lot of work is harder because they don't approach it with wisdom.

Lazy man's load - Doing things the wrong way because that is what seems right to you.

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Verse 16, 17

not against young leaders; against those that act like young leaders

"son of nobles" - educated by nobles, well trained

Not against feasting, but at proper time

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

God Bless!

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