Parenting by the Book
STUDY 261
Text: Proverbs 23
25 June 2006
Dear Parents,
AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION ABOUT MISERS
We have an interesting observation about “misers” in the following text.
Do not eat the bread of a miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.Proverbs 23:6-8
How should we understand this text? Let us ponder the following thoughts:-
1. Definition of “miser”
A miser possesses the following features.
a) He is a hoarder of money.
b) He is essentially a greedy and avaricious person.
c) He live meagerly in order to save every cent.
2. Out of character to give feasts
Why would a miser give a feast to anyone? How does a person trust his words when he says, “Eat and drink”? All that he does, with reference to merrymaking, is totally out of character with the miser.
3. Wise words of advice
a) Never desire to eat the delicacies of the miser
That’s the wisest approach to adopt. No matter how tempting the offer made by the miser, one must be wise and discerning enough not to trust so easily.
b) Discerning the heart of the miser
A miser (or any person, for that matter) is one who is steeped in his avaricious ways. His years of being a miser reveal his true character. His real heart is evidenced in his life-long miserly practices. Words cannot hide or disguise his true character.
c) Cause for regret
The phrase “The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit out” could be read literally. Or it could also be interpreted as an expression of deep regret.
Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie