Proverbs 23:1
“When you sit to eat with a ruler, take careful consideration concerning what is set before you. Do not eat food from a man that has an evil eye, because even the small morsel you eat… you will eventually spit it up and all the sweet words that were spoken will be for nothing!”
Ever heard the saying, “Look before you leap.”? In other words take careful consideration of the circumstance that you might find yourself in, before you make the commitment to jump into it whole-heartedly. The steps into relationships, whether personal or business, can often be nine short ones, and then that tenth step could suddenly, and without warning, drop you off a hundred foot cliff and into an injurious situation from which there is no return. What starts out to be a wonderful dream, many times can quickly turn into a terrible nightmare.
There is another popular saying that reads, “All that glitters is not gold!” We all have read these books that advertise “10 Easy Steps to Success”. Often the cover is lined with all these shiny dollar signs and some well groomed couple standing next to a Lamborghini. First of all, there is nothing ever easy about success! Secondly, nothing stable or lasting ever comes from ten short steps. I might believe “A Thousand Carefully Planned and Wisely Chosen Steps”! But who would buy a book like that?
There is a lot to be said for being patient and taking your time when making critical decisions that could radically alter the course of your life. Going into a restaurant and looking over a menu that has twenty-four choices is not going to change a whole lot. However, other decisions like choosing a career path, business partnerships, co-signing for debts, stock investments, serious dating, and marriage are all very important choices that could prove to be the best or worst decisions of your life. The difference between a menu choice and picking out a spouse is that one will only last at most about twenty-four hours, and the other a lifetime.
Notice how in this particular proverb, the initial morsel was sweet, but somehow it turned sour upon being eaten. Looks can sometimes deceive. When making decisions that could concern your involvement with another party the key to making a wise decision is taking the time to uncover the core, heart of the individual, or offering that has been set before you. This could take a little time and digging to discover this. Make sure that the inside core is just as sweet and nutritious as the outer covering. Also, it is better to eat fruit that has a sour peel, but a sweet center.
Live Wise,
Pastor LaVaughn
