THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE OF FINE DINING
Proverbs 17:1 NKJ
1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
I am not a foodie. I mean, I drink Dunkin Doughnuts coffee, which appalls my offspring. I will eat pretty much any meat, including Tuna fish, as long as it’s not dry or I have access to Chick-Fil-A sauce. Oh, and I hate raw onions, and think Oreos qualify as a fine dining dessert. Don’t get me wrong. I do not like bad food, but no one ever confused me as someone with exquisite taste.
My two sons both cook, and both have discriminating palates. My daughter is Miss Organic. Somewhere, I missed it raising these children. But one thing both Joy and I have learned over our 42 years of marriage is that it’s not the food; it’s the environment. And by environment I am referring to the atmosphere that is in a relationship. Upscale date nights have been marred by strife and the meal ruined because there was conflict and no peace.
What Joy and I learned from experience is what the scriptures have said all along. Our verse for today says that poor quality food with quietness and peace beats a feast with strife and conflict. If you love fine dining, I certainly won’t argue with that, but a fine meal does not make up for relational trouble. Getting along well during the grind of everyday routine is greater than a fancy meal when there has been conflict all week.
The scriptures place emphasis on the things that matter most. From Heaven’s perspective, the environment of a home is even more important than the size and grandeur of a home. If a beautiful home makes a relationship work, then Hollywood should be the shining example of relational harmony. In Proverbs chapter 15, verses 16-17 carry the very same theme as our Scripture for today. Heaven values the fear of the Lord over great wealth and trouble. And salad and love are greater than steak and hatred. The food we consume is not as important as the atmosphere we live in. This is not making a case for food scarcity and being undernourished. This is a case for learning to live an unselfish life with kindness and graciousness. Put those qualities in your life and food will taste better and your home will be a place of peace and blessing.
PRAYER
Lord, help me place the emphasis in my life on the things that Heaven deems as important. If I am pleasing to You, I will be a blessing to those around me, and my food will taste better.