Dangerous Delicacies

When you sit to dine with a ruler,note well what is before you,and put a knife to your throatif you are given to gluttony.Do not crave his delicacies,for that food is deceptive.

Proverbs 23:1-3 (NIV)

What is this saying to us as women? Well, we see there is a warning that we are to enter some situations with reserve. Things are not always as they appear. Don’t plunge headlong into taking part in what is set before you. Be discerning. Be wise.

In Daniel chapter 1, Daniel was invited to sit and eat at the king’s table and partake of his delicacies. He refused. Do you ever wonder why? It was just food. Was he majoring on minors? No. Daniel was living in a society where compromise was commonplace. Here are some reasons he chose to distance himself.

• The king was ungodly, an idol worshiper. To come to his table would be to partake of his views, his influence, and his way of life.
• There was extravagance. Ladies, we can get a taste for rich things, and it can drive us. We can begin to think we need rich things at any cost.
• Friendships are made at tables. When we eat with others, we let down our guards and become comfortable. Be careful who you are comfortable with.

James 4:4 tells us, “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (NKJV). Compromise leads to compromise, which leads to compromise.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Our children, especially when they are teens and college age, constantly find themselves in compromising situations. We call that peer pressure. Just because they seem to be doing well, don’t kid yourself. One weak moment can change their lives. One taste of the delicacies of drugs or sex or pornography or alcohol can lead them to a taste for more. Don’t kid yourself about the compromises you allow in your life and home either. Don’t just be worried; be wise. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to give you discernment in your own life, and then you will be able to see clearly to help safeguard your family.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 6:1–7:25; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 23:1-3