Think. Think! THINK!

It is a well-known proverb that has prompted many motivational speeches, articles, and even books.

   “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Just wait until you read the whole verse along with the preceding verse and the one immediately following. You are likely to get a very different picture. Ready?

   Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, 
      Or desire his delicacies;
   For as he thinks within himself, 
      so he is. 
   He says to you, "Eat and drink!" 
      But his heart is not with you.
   You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, 
      And waste your compliments.
   --Proverbs 23:6-8

It is not a passage about the ‘power of positive thinking’ or the 'law of attraction.' It doesn’t really send you into a higher plane of thought to help you overcome the obstacles of pessimism. Nor does it sound like the beloved golden nugget of divine motivation as many have suggested. In reality, it is a simple saying that might actually turn your stomach. So, is there even a dry crumb of wisdom for us?

The proverb is about eating at the table of a selfish wealthy man. (Begin in verse 1 for the full context.) When it comes to riches and those who are rich, humans tend to be like a bug in the night that flies into the light. Most people are drawn toward wealth and they honor those who are wealthy in various ways. It is easy to be mesmerized by wealth and overlook the character of a wealthy person.

In this proverb, the simple warning is to be cautious when being entertained by a selfish wealthy person. He may speak with a generous tongue yet without a generous heart. So, do not be taken in and deceived by what your eyes see and by what your ears hear.

The point is that we must use discernment when the distraction of wealth is around us. Do not be deceived by another man’s wealth. Do not be lured in by the promises of a selfish man.

Think. Think! THINK!