Food, Glorious Food!
Read Proverbs 23:1-35
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1. While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you.
2. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat;
3. don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.
4. Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
6. Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.
7. They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
8. You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted. . . .
17. Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord.
18. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed. Proverbs 23:1-8, 17-18
“You’re not overweight!” friends tell Juan. “Diet any more and you’re going to blow away!” Ruth tells Nancy. “I only drink at weddings and other celebrations,” explains Jolene. “I don’t have a drinking problem—I can quit any time I want,” Mike insists. Eating and drinking—sources of pleasure and sources of grief.
Does the Bible talk about food and drink? You better believe it. Here in Proverbs 23 are some of the choicest morsels. Dig in.
Other verses in this chapter say more to modern living than the advice columns of most major newspapers. They address accepting bribes; the wrong reason to work hard; what to think of party animals; what to do with your parents when they are old; and the truth about alcohol.
Gluttony and drunkenness make poor friends. They not only make us overweight (and possibly alcoholic); they can also weaken our character and drain our pockets (Proverbs 23:19-21).
Not everyone struggles with overeating or alcoholism, but those who do certainly never planned on it. If you do have these struggles, there are some steps that you can take to overcome them:
(1) realize you have a problem;
(2) ask God to grant you the strength to resist the temptation;
(3) seek professional help if necessary; and
(4) avoid the source of your temptation.
Work at getting control of your appetites—God desires that you live a life of freedom!
