Almost 50 years ago, my grandmother was making muscadine wine. That same night my then boyfriend asked me to marry him. As a gift, my grandmother gave us a bottle of the wine she had been making that day. On our 1st Anniversary, we got out the bottle of wine. As we prepared to open it, we noticed a dead fly floating on the top of the wine. Needless to say, we never drank the wine, but I still have that bottle of wine to remember my grandmother and that special night.

Be a Good Influence

“Dead flies in perfume make it stink.” Ecclesiastes 10:1a, MSG

If a dead fly can have a bad influence in our lives, then imagine the bad influence of a person. Someone with a negative attitude or gossip can make life stink. In Ecclesiastes 10-12, the writer gives us some pointers on how we can be a good influence.

Watch Your Words

“The words of a wise person are gracious.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10:12a ‭MSG Use words that are kind. The old adage, ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all’ certainly is true. It is definitely needed as a reminder in social media comments. Be kind.

“If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic; A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10:4‬ ‭MSG‬‬ Respond with calmness to someone who is upset or angry.

“Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10:20‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Avoid gossip or talking bad about others. Be careful what you say or even think. Gossip and untruths have a way of spreading. Being a good influence involves controlling the tongue.

Take Risks

“Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭11:1-2‬ ‭MSG‬‬

In order to make the most out of our influence, we must learn to take risks. Taking risks is to risk failure, but we learn from our failures. To love others is to risk not being loved. Give to others your time, talents and resources. Others may not be appreciative, but we do these things for God.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

“Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour, Remembering that there will also be many dark days And that most of what comes your way is smoke.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭11:7-8‬ MSG

Life is fleeting. Enjoy life. Seize opportunities in life to bless others and in doing so you will be immensely blessed. Our opportunities are limited and time is short.

Don’t worry about tomorrow. Enjoy today.

Fear God

“The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12:13b ‭MSG‬‬

Ecclesiastes ends with the writer’s conclusion about life. He tells us to fear God. The word fear means to have high respect or reverence for Him. Ultimately, your true meaning in life is your relationship with God.

Paula Wallace

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Chris Tomlin  Give Us Clean Hands