In the last post, we reflected a second time on the mind and the reaction of the uncircumcised mind to God’s word. Another dimension of the manifestation of such a mind is the offering of the sacrifice of fools!
 
Apostle James admonished every believer in James 1:19-21, 26 (TPT)

My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen,  but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose. So this is why we abandon everything morally impure  and all forms of wicked conduct.  Instead, with a sensitive spirit  we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us…If someone believes they have a relationship with God but fails to guard his words then his heart is drifting away and his religion is shallow and empty.

This admonition is best interpreted by our text from Ecclesiastes and the pasted picture above. Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 gives us a clear understanding of the sacrifice of fools!

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

Recalling the command that we present our bodies as living sacrifice, be careful not to offer the sacrifice of fools. In the abundance of words, sin also abounds; in speaking hastily to issues on which we don’t have the mind of Christ we stumble and sin against God and also reveal who we are, Christ’s or the world’s or ourselves! Matthew 12:34-37 admonishes:

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

In this season guard your thoughts in private and when with people guard your words lest you offend God or your neighbour! Let’s close today’s admonition with this—WORDS & SWORD HAVE THE SAME LETTERS;; AND STRANGE STILL IS THAT IF CARELESSLY HANDLED, THE SAME EFFECT. So intentionally let your words be few and your utterances figuratively be seasoned with salt. Selah.

Pastor Afolabi Oladele