Have you ever heard the saying “A fly in the ointment”?  It is actually a reference to Ecclesiastes 10:1. “Dead flies turn a perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more potent than wisdom and honor.” (NASB).

It is a cold, dark morning as I sit down on the couch with a hot cup of tea; I thank God for the rest He has given me through the night and I ask Him to guide me as I face a challenging day knowing I will need His wisdom and not my own.  With a heavy sigh I grab my computer to check my emails.  I see that I have quite a few I need to read.  As I start to scan through them I notice a message with a video attachment from a Lion Sanctuary. This sanctuary is unique because the lions are free roaming in a natural setting. There are rock vistas and bluffs, trees and grassy plains that span for miles. Also, these lions have very little interaction with people, so they can just be lions.  The video showed several lions relaxing in the tall grass, looking very content.  As the camera moved across the plain I see a large male lion standing on a ridge looking over his domain. I learned, that this lion is almost 4 feet tall at the shoulders and weighs nearly 500 pounds. His full mane extends down his chest touching the top of his front legs, not only is this a sign of maturity; but, also his leadership within his pride of lions and lionesses.

After standing for a short while this lion settled down to relax, which signaled several of his pride members to come over to him; lowering their heads they lovingly rubbed their faces against his face. These gifts of affection he accepted from each one.

This tender scene warmed my heart, but as the camera focused more closely on his face, I saw the flies. There were flies everywhere!  This male lion had flies on his nose, his ears and even around the corners of his eyes. He did not start wildly slapping at the flies with his massive paws or shaking his head, in fact, he did not even seem to notice the flies at all. He simply continued to survey his territory while keeping a watchful eye his pride. 

Of course, the flies are nothing in size compared to the lion.  They cannot take his position in the pride, they cannot change who he is in relation to the other lions, at best they are only a small annoyance that the lion simply ignored.

This made me think, why do I let the “fly in the ointment” get to me so much that it ruins my day or makes me angry or worse, it takes my focus off of God. The scripture in Ecclesiastes is saying that a little foolishness or nonsense and our ability to make wise decisions can be ruined. This tiny, little fly can really mess up our day and set a trap for how we react to the challenges we all face. It is difficult to hear and to recognize God’s wisdom when the flies are buzzing around our lives, the nonsense and foolishness clouds our thinking. 

Galatians 3:26-29 tells us that as Christians, we are children of the Most High God and that position can NEVER be changed, so we can rest in Him, regardless of the problems and pain in life.  Learning how to look past the flies and respond to life’s challenges with wisdom brings about our maturity in our walk with God; and that is place where God wants us to dwell.

I want to be like that lion looking out at the world, content and strong in my faith; regardless of what flies might land on me.

I have been writing all my life, I just didn't realize it until I was my late 40's.  I hope my experiences can help others who have gone through similar trials.