Honey and the Heaves

bigstock-wooden-honey-dipper-with-a-str-12356606Honey. Vomit. Ever discussed these topics in Sunday school? Didn’t think so. Yet Solomon teaches us through some vivid word pictures.

“If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16 NIV)

Too much honey makes me think of Pooh Bear stuck in Rabbit’s front door.

Vomit reminds me of Sarge.

Sarge was Gretchen’s Dalmatian. He was built like a tank. He and Gretchen ran with my golden retriever Luke and me when we lived in Arizona. If Sarge saw anything—trash, leftovers, roadkill—he scarfed it like he hadn’t eaten in days, only to, you guessed it, heave it right back onto the asphalt.

Sarge suffered from something that plagues us human critters too: lack of self-control. When something caught his eye, Sarge went for it. No thought of whether the bunny carcass might hurt his tummy or if the tarantula on the road might not want to play.

Have you ever followed in Sarge’s paw prints? Something looked like honey in the moment, but didn’t digest too well after? Or perhaps the issue is not what we are consuming, but how much.

Food, shopping, TV, computer time. Is the habit controlling you? Psalm 19:13 says: “Keep [me] from willful sins; may they not rule over me.”

If the thing that is sweet causes unpleasant consequences, it’s time to take action. Talk to God about it. Look at why you desire_______________. Is it a crutch? A replacement for something God desires to give?

Is it getting the best of you? Who has control? You or _____________? Are you compelled to __________________?

If necessary, confess it to God and ask forgiveness. Then, ask for release and the ability to stop when you’ve had enough.

Self-control. It’s the sweet that doesn’t fight back.

Questions:

Is there a habit, thing, or an area of your life that is giving you trouble? If in doubt, ask your family. They know.

What’s the attraction?

Where is your stopping point? Why?

What happens when you have too much? Is it worth it?

Do you trust God to supply the self-control you need?

Memorize:

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”(1 Cor. 10: 13 NIV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”(Gal. 5:22-23 NIV)

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