Proverbs 23:6-8 (KJV)
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou
his dainty meats: [7] For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and
drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. [8] The morsel
which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
An evil eye is a term denoting insincerity. The Bible counsels us not
to accept the invitation of a covetous person. (1 Cor. 5:11) Such a host/hostess
prepares impressive, appealing cuisine with little nourishment - quite
pleasurable to the eye and palette, but of little benefit to the body.
Don't be surprised if you find many of your personal favorites lavishly
spread on your benefactor's table, promising you an evening full of satisfaction!
With hypocritical hearts they will encourage you to partake of their touching
hospitality. On the surface it appears that your well-being is their greatest
interest, but scripture teaches their intentions for dining with you are
unreliable! Their heart is not with you though it is displayed as such.
There will come a day when you'll regret having accepted their two-faced
invitation….
How easy is it for you to be distracted by the dainties that are offered
you? Are you effortlessly enticed by emotive hospitality, with little
regard to purpose behind the extended invitation? Why do you think the
Lord would exhort us to be on guard when it comes to dinner invitations?
Do we really have to stop and consider that evil is present in every setting?
(See Mk. 14:18) Is it possible that people would go to all the trouble
of preparing a notable dinner for contaminated reasons?
Psalm 141:4 (KJV)
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with
men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
While most of us would be warmly drawn by the request of our presence
in the home of another, scripture teaches that we must be careful that
we do not partake of banquets or feasts in honor of idols. "I don't know
anybody that worships idols, so that wouldn't happen." Are you sure??
Ladies, do not overlook the fact that the dinner to which you were invited
was arranged simply so you could pay tribute to your host/hostess all
evening! Hence, your attendance would literally feed a monster because
SELF is their idol. Yes, hospitality can be exercised for personal worship
services. Be on the alert for insincerity in the lives of those with which
you fellowship. Better yet, be on the alert for insincerity in your own
life when it comes to exercising hospitality! Do you fix your dinners
with a double heart; inviting people over you don't really care for just
so they can "fall in love" with you all evening? Do you utilize hospitality
because of your heart for people or your heart for self? Could your scheduled
fellowships be rooted in idol worship?
Psalm 12:1-2 (KJV)
Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among
the children of men. [2] They speak vanity every one with his neighbour:
with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
Without the fear of God, the affections of men and women become divided.
As faithfulness declines, so does honesty and pure motives. Thus, our
watchfulness should intensify. How guarded is your heart?
1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV)
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Don't be deceived; wisely consider all invitations you receive. After
spending an evening with an insincere host/hostess, you may not leave
with the same good manners you arrived! As with any great feast prepared
for idol worship, chances are you'll be sent home with some succulent
"leftovers"….
Proverbs 23:1-2 (KJV)
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before
thee: [2] And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Believe it or not, there are actually children of God that understand
exactly why they have been invited to someone's home… When certain issues
pop up in the church, so do dinner invitations! With the "issue" positioned
as an invisible centerpiece, believers get together with an appetite for
spiritual steaks, better known as "juicy gossip." Have you ever planned
a dinner at your home based on the topics you know you had liberty to
discuss with certain church members? You see ladies; women typically determine
the social life of the family. Therefore, ideas for get-togethers are
often born in our hearts. Who would you choose to invite into your home
and why? Is there a particular topic or person you've been craving to
talk about that your intended guests will afford you? Watch your appetite…
1 Cor. 10:31 (KJV)
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God.
Scripture sets the menu for every gathering! We should aspire to come
together for the glory of God, not for any other reason. Extend all invitations
that HE may be lifted up, not you! In addition, make sure that you are
not employing hospitality so you can put someone down… Many issues relating
to the pastor have been "chewed on" and improperly digested under the
guise of hospitality. Consequently, bad manners are picked up via wicked
dinner conversation. Once you realize you've been baited with dainties
for such injurious purposes, you'll lament your attendance! Countless
hearts have been poisoned over a meal served in a deceitful church member's
home. Watch that it doesn't happen to you!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2003 Pamela A. Iannello
