Something You Should Know about Your Appetite

Have you ever been to a restaurant, then, after eating, exited and smelled the delicious offerings of a neighboring restaurant? As good as it smells, you had absolutely no desire to go there to eat. There was no temptation, even if it was your favorite. You had already eaten; you were full.

On the other extreme, have you ever had a long day of physical labor, or perhaps missed a meal or two. You were 'caving in' with hunger; starving. You were ready to eat the first edible thing you could find and it was SOOOO tasty.

These two thoughts set the stage for a wonderful nugget of wisdom:

   A sated man loathes honey, 
   But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
   --Proverbs 27:7

The word ‘sated’ means full or satisfied.
The word ‘loathed’ is translated from a Hebrew words that literally means, to tread down or trample.

Do you see the picture being presented in this proverb?
A person tramples over sweet honey with no interest. Why? He is full. Even though honey is delightful to the taste and nourishing to the body it is perceived as ordinary and undesirable. In great contrast, the starving man eats something bitter and perceives it to be sweet.

What is the value of this proverb?
Mere observation?

Consider...
The satisfied man tramples the honey as undesirable, yet, what is the reality?
The famished man will eat bitter things as if sweet, yet what is the reality?

Circumstances do not change the reality of the sweet honey or the reality of the bitter thing. So, we could at least conclude that taste buds are not accurate in determining the true value of something.

Now, let’s extend this example. What about other areas of life that are subject to taste?

We have ‘likes and dislikes’ in many areas: clothing, cars, houses, decorations, personality types, physical beauty, recreation, entertainment, and so on. We must understand that our ‘tastes’ are not accurate in determining the real value of things. 'Modern' does not make it a good house. 'Cute' does not make him a good boyfriend. 'Red' does not make it a good car. 'Stunning' does not make it appropriate clothing. 'Funny' does not make it a good sitcom or a good joke to repeat.

God’s divine instruction gives us insight into that which is truly good and valuable in life.

• If we are saturated with the things of this life, we just might regard the truth of God's instruction as ordinary and pass it off as unimportant.
• If we are so famished with regard to spiritual things, we are likely to accept the next teaching that comes along, whether it is from the mind of man or the mind of God. It will seem sweet and acceptable.

We need a steady diet of God's word so that we will be able to discern what is good and what is useless.

Be wise.
Be filled with God’s instruction.