November 30, 2017
STUFFED?
Proverbs 27:7–16
Chris Truax
Central Truth
Excess can lead to independence and an insatiable appetite for more, while being in want can lead to reliance and thankfulness to the Lord.
Key Verse | Proverbs 27:7
One who is full loathes honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
(Proverbs 27:7)
Proverbs 27:7–16
7
One who is full loathes honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8
Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9
Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
1
27:9
Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel
10
Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend,
and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.
11
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12
The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13
Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.
2
27:13
Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners
14
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15
A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16
to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp
3
27:16
Hebrew to meet with
oil in one's right hand.
Dive Deeper | Proverbs 27:7–16
The more I studied these ten verses, the more I was drawn to verse 7, our Key Verse. The imagery rings true to my experiences in life. Most Americans' only concern about food is what kind of food to eat. My wife and I often take a while to choose a restaurant because of the vast array of possibilities. The choice comes down to what we feel like eating. And, don’t get me started on portion size! By the time you eat half your plate, that steak you had been drooling over ten minutes ago doesn’t taste very good.
Contrast that to poverty overseas, or even in poorer communities in America. I have asked many people what their favorite food is in these areas, and most don’t have an answer. Any food they can get their hands on is their favorite food! Canned meat tastes like steak to them.
We are often a people unwilling to be dependent on the Lord because of this excess. Being grateful does not come easy. We think we don't need Him.
So what do we do? How do we apply this Scripture to our lives? First, if you are like me and identify most with being full, we need to expand our worldview and see how the hungry live. Travel to another country on a short-term discipleship trip or just head to the poorer neighborhoods in your town and partner with a ministry that’s working in that area. Remember that God will provide for His people (Matthew 6:26), and He has chosen to use us, the body of Christ, to be His instrument of delivery. (Matthew 25:37, 40)
Another way to apply this is by checking our Thankfulness Meter. It has been a week since Thanksgiving. Are we still giving thanks for the many things the Lord provides for us? We can learn something from those who have little. It can be easier for them to be thankful for everything the Lord provides them. Let's adopt a mindset of gratitude today.
Discussion Questions
1. What are other ways to apply this Scripture to your life?
2. What are other ways to be the church in your community and the world?
3. What are ways you can nurture a more thankful heart?
4. How are you doing stewarding the resources God has given you?