May 21

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell–so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” — Eccl 10:1

It is sad to see how some holy and noble characters are marred by little–yet grievous, faults and blemishes!

One man is generous–but he desires always to have his charity praised.

Another is disposed to be kind and helpful–but by his manner, he hurts or humiliates the one he befriends.

Another is unselfish and devout–but is careless of promises and engagements. He makes appointments, and never thinks of them again. He borrows money, and does not repay it. His friends say, “He is so forgetful!” Yes; but how his forgetfulness mars his character and hurts his influence! Forgetfulness is worse than an acceptable weakness; it is a sin!

Untruthfulness is a blot in all eyes.

Whenever SELF leaks out in conduct or disposition–it is a dead fly in the perfume!

It makes little difference, that a person is not intentionally at fault in the things which so mar his life. Carelessness and thoughtlessness are themselves such serious moral blemishes–that they make impossible, any excuse for delinquencies resulting from them. We need to look to “the littles” which either make or mar godly character. No fault is too small to be worth curing, and no fragment of beauty is too small to be worth setting in the mosaic of character.