Read 1 Chronicles 18, Zechariah 11, and Proverbs 27:1-13.
This devotional is about Proverbs 27:7.
Thanksgiving is almost here but, when it is over, you will probably have food leftover. Maybe you don’t mind eating turkey for several days in a row, but leftovers–from thanksgiving or other meals–are not always the most exciting thing to eat.
That illustrates one of our proverbs for today, Proverbs 27:7: “One who is full loathes honey from the comb….” Honey was one of the best tasting treats available in the days of Solomon. There was no ice cream, or Snickers bars, or pumpkin pie. If you wanted sweets, you ate fruit or honey. But, if you’ve had too much to eat already, you wouldn’t want to eat even a tasty treat like honey.
That is what happens to people who get everything they want. They become entitled and no longer value what they have or what is offered to them.
By contrast, verse 7b says, “…but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.” When someone doesn’t have much, that person has a greater capacity to enjoy what he or she receives.
Do you find it hard to feel grateful about your life this week? If so, give some thought to what you have. Earlier in your life you might have been thrilled to have the life you have now. There are probably people around you–people that you know–who look at your life and don’t understand why you are so unhappy all the time.
In an imperfect, sin-cursed world, there are always reasons to be unhappy about something. But the truth is that there are people who are much worse off than you are. If you can think about what it would be like to be “hungry” again, maybe God will use this Proverb to help you and me be grateful for what we have instead of complaining about how our bellies ache.