“Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path ofthy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:25-27).

     Based loosely upon the words of Solomon, here is one of Aesop’s fables. “A pigeon oppressed by excessive thirst saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. Not realizing that it was only a picture, she flew toward it with a loud whirr and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, and jarred herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground and was killed by one of the bystanders.”

     The mockeries of the world are many, and those who are deluded by them not only miss the joys they looked for, but in their eager pursuit of vanity bring ruin on their souls. We call the pigeon silly to be deceived by a picture, however cleverly painted, but what epithet shall we apply to those who are duped by the false allurements of the world!