Several years ago, while on a trip with my family, we stopped to visit a dairy farm. It was during the heat of the summer, so we left the doors of our van open while we took a tour of the farm. Upon our return, to our dismay, the van was swarming with flies, and it took awhile to rid our vehicle of those pesky creatures.

If you are like most people, you have equipped your house with a crucial offensive weapon called a fly swatter in order to wage war on any flies that dare enter your premises. Flies are disgusting to all of us, and certainly not welcome in our homes, especially when we consider where they originated.

Why does everyone get so irate about such a tiny insect? Why will you not drink a glass of water with a fly floating in it? Besides being pests when you are trying to eat or sleep, there’s an even greater reason to annihilate every fly that you see buzzing about your dwelling place. Did you know that a single fly can harbor as many as 300 million bacteria in its internal tract? If that is not bad enough, that same fly probably has 500 million bacteria on its body surface.

Every fly that escapes the fly swatter means many more flies. It has been theoretically calculated that if a pair of flies lived in perfect conditions, and if all their offspring lived, their potential population during the months of April through August would reach 190 quintillion! This astounding number is 190 with 18 zeroes behind it.

Did you know that flies are capable of transmitting approximately 40 serious diseases such as typhoid fever, amoebic dysentery, cholera, and tuberculosis. It seems pretty clear that one of the most dangerous insects to mankind is the common housefly.

Flies in Scripture

The Word of God uses flies to illustrate an important truth about "little sins" we allow in our lives. 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. Ecclesiastes 10:1

The "apothecary" is referring to what we would call a drug store or pharmacy. Let’s say that Phil pharmacist has a perfectly good bottle of ointment on the shelf ready to sell to an ailing customer. Sam comes into the drug store with some very sore muscles and needs something to rub on them and ease his pain. Phil says, "I have just the ointment for you." He grabs the bottle off of the shelf, hands it to Sam and explains how to use it.

Sam, then, proceeds to open the lid and is almost overcome by a terrible odor. Phil says, "What is the matter?" Sam says, "This stuff is rotten!" Phil takes the bottle, looks inside and discovers a dead fly floating in the ointment. That minuscule fly caused the entire bottle of good ointment to rot and stink and to be worthless.

There is an important analogy here. Just as flies cause corruption and diseases that can result in physical death, so sin, great or small, is like a disease that leads to spiritual death. Why is it that so many Christians fall flat on their faces and really make a mess of their lives? Did they just trip and fall into sin? No! "Little flies" have been permitted in their Christian walk and caused it to rot and stink.

What are Some of These Flies?

Consider the following "flies" that you can allow in your life: pride, complaining, discontentment, prayerlessness, bad attitudes, unthankfulness, strife, selfishness, disobedience, rebellion, wrong thoughts, gossip, hatred, worldliness, carnality, immorality, stealing, cheating, or deception. Some of these flies can come into your life unnoticed (like a blind spot), but what happens? That fly lays its eggs and then more flies come. Flies are also drawn to other flies, so before you know it, you have a whole mess of "flies" or sins in your life. This results in defeat and failure in your Christian pilgrimage.

Scriptural Examples of Men Who Allowed Flies in Their Lives

1. Cain Gen 4

Cain worked hard on his crops, but he brought an unacceptable sacrifice before the Lord. The fly of jealousy came into his heart when Abel’s sacrifice was accepted. Soon, he was swarming with flies of hatred, lying and murder.

2. King David 2 Sam 11

David was on his roof top and not out leading his troops his troops in battle. The fly of idleness was buzzing about his head and then he saw Bathshebah bathing. Instead of looking away, he gazed upon her and the fly of lust filled his mind. Soon he was being swarmed by flies of adultery, lying, sneaking and murder. His life and testimony was now sending forth a stinking savor.

3. King Neubuchadnezzar Daniel 4

King Nebuchadnezzar stood on his palace balcony admiring the beauty and splendor of Babylon. The fly of pride came into his heart as he took credit for this mighty, magnificent city. Soon, other flies came swarming around him and we see him next erecting an image of himself for the people to worship. Then, he tries to kill God’s men in the fiery furnace. That fly of pride brought him to the bottom.

How Do You Get Rid of Flies?

When you kill flies, you either use a fly swatter, fly tape or spray. You have to wage war against them and get rid of every last one of them. Just leaving one can be disastrous. What is our weapon to deal with the flies that come into our lives? The powerful weapon that God has given to us is His Word. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalms 119:9 We need to be daily cleansed by the water of the Word. The light of God’s Word will reveal these dangerous "little flies." Then, we must confess our sins before God. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13 What happens when you try to cover up a swarm of flies? This results in a great stench! Likewise, when you attempt to cover sins in your life, then your Christian life and testimony will be corrupted and result in stench before God and man. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to deal with those "little flies" by reading, studying, memorizing, hearing and meditating on God’s Word.

How Do You Prevent the Flies From Coming?

1. Realize their danger no matter how small they appear to be.

In 1 Cor 5:6-7, we are reminded that a "little leaven leavens the whole lump." Song of Solomon 2:15 warns of the "little foxes that spoil the vines." Ecclesiastes 10:1 warns that a "little folly" can damage the reputation of a wise person. It is easy to excuse little sins and think that it is only a small thing and that it is really not hurting me or anyone else. This is a serious error in thinking. We must remember the seriousness of any sin, regardless of how little it may seem. It is because of sin that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered on the cruel cross. It is because of sin that every person born into this world is condemned to Hell for eternity. We are reminded in James 2:10 how serious one sin is before a Holy God. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. If we would just see sin as God sees it, then we would never look lightly on it.

2. Remove any flies that are currently in your life.

Keep in mind how flies are drawn to each other and how quickly they multiply. As you spend time in God’s Word, and sin in your heart and life is brought to your attention, confess and forsake every sin.

3. Avoid doing things and spending time at places where flies would most likely be.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14 None of us like digging in garbage cans or spending time at a cesspool where the flies love to be. Yet, we will purposely pump the filth and sewage of this world right into our living rooms and bedrooms by means of the television. What about the music we allow in our homes, clothing, literature, radio programs, videos, friends, idle time, or places of entertainment?

Conclusion

The text passage in Ecclesiastes 10:1 concludes with this statement, "...so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." You may have a good reputation for being wise and a person of honour, but just a little folly that is permitted in your life can destroy any good that you have done, and leave you with a rotten testimony. Like that bottle of spoiled ointment, your life will be of no use to God or anyone else. Watch out for those "little flies" and do not allow them to spoil your life and testimony!