Controlling Oneself
These verses from Proverbs 23 tell us how to control our appetites.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. Proverbs 23:1-8 (KJV)
Consider what is set before you. In other words, think before you eat. Don’t get on auto-pilot and shovel the food in your mouth without considering what and how much you are eating.
We must take control of our appetites, as if we were putting a knife to our throat. We must crucify the fleshly appetites that would prompt us to be gluttons. Pray over your food so you have control over what you eat and so food will not have control over you. Before appetite gets control, take control of your appetite by speaking God’s Word during your prayer over the meal.
Food can deceive us. Things that taste good may be very bad for you. And many social events include food. Know who you are eating with and what you are eating. Don’t let food steer you wrong and into wrong relationships. In this passage, we see food can promote the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh.
Fleshly appetites can make us hungry for food, as well as money. Gluttony and greed are very similar. It is fine to have money as long as it doesn’t have us. We must seek God and His kingdom over material goods. Riches can fly away. We can lose our grip on them as fast as we got them, so our focus must be on God rather than wealth.
Don’t eat and fellowship with evil company. The influence of wicked people will corrupt your good character and skew your good judgment. The one you eat with is only thinking of himself. Even if you are eating with him today, his heart is not with you. Wicked people do not have deep meaningful relationships, only fleshly ones, which profit you nothing. Eating and hanging out with this kind of person will make you feel sick. Your words will not be received or taken seriously by them.
As we approach food and relationships correctly, thinking right about them and speaking right over them, we can control our appetites and enjoy healthy friendships.
