Foolish Ways
Eccl.10:1
“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”
A Jackdaw is member of the crow family in Europe. As for its name, it comes from an old English word that was used to ridicule foolishness, thievery, and overly talkative people. The bird lives up to its reputation. On the ground it walks with a jerky, swaggering strut. In flight, it often looks as though it is engaging in aerial displays. In the evening around roosting time, it loves being part of a noisy crowd. Beyond that, this little fellow is known for picking up and hiding brightly colored objects. The jackdaw's flair for showy living is matched only by its indiscretions. Once fire fighters had to put out a blaze in the top of a high tree was started when a jackdaw picked up a "brightly" tipped cigarette and dropped his red- hot prize into his nest.
Some people have a similar zest for life. Their love of a practical joke and good laugh makes them the highlight parties, but their strength can also be their weakness. Just as serious-minded people often lack spontaneity and fun, so these happy-go-lucky individuals often come up short on spiritual discernment. They may be well meaning, but they can start fires of irritations in their own home by being overly foolish rather than sensitive to the feelings of others. As one person put it "As a wise man is like a pin: his head keeps him from going too far."
As we look at the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes, we see many proverbs. Solomon is the author of the book of Proverbs. Here he talks about wisdom and foolishness. Like the jackdaw, some people tend to be foolish in action and in word.
I've saw very unkind poem quoted by some woman that says,
"Women’s faults are many,
Men have only two
Everything they say and everything they do."
Perhaps that is a bit overstated, but those are the major areas of folly for us all, the things we say and the things we do. We must take a wise look at our actions and how they affect others.
