For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
As a person thinks inwardly in desires and purposes, so that person is and acts, and the saying about eat and drink pictures a host whose polite invitation hides an unwilling heart. In its setting it warns against craving the food of the rich. Cherished thoughts and feelings give direction to conduct and form moral character, and God looks on the heart and judges outward acts by their motives, since the mind takes its coloring from what it dwells upon. This is seen in fearful unbelief that left God out and could not enter the promised land, and in trust in God's promise that entered in and overcame giants and walled cities. Therefore purity of life requires a heart renewed by divine grace, with the mind guarded and trained to dwell on what is pure and holy and brought under God's control, for right thinking ennobles and protects the soul while impure and suspicious thoughts defile it and ripen into wrong words and deeds.
Meaning and Setting
A person's inner thinking determines what that person is, for thoughts held in the heart shape being and doing. What is cherished inwardly in desire, purpose and thought reveals the true self and gives direction to words and actions. Hidden inward things form character and form the life record as seen in heaven, because judgment looks at the heart rather than outward appearance. The mind takes its bent from what it dwells upon, so that allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, while training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger, showing how food choices touch physical, mental and moral condition.
The eating and drinking in the proverb is outward hospitality that does not match the inward man. The host says eat and drink, yet his heart is not with his guest and his invitation does not express his inward intent.
In its setting the saying warns against desiring the food of the rich man. Rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being, so appetite must be guarded through temperance.
Thought Forms Character
As a man thinks in his heart so is he, because cherished thoughts and feelings give direction to conduct and thus determine character and course of action, and thoughts and feelings together form moral character. One man deficient in faith and courage exerts a weakening influence on others, while a strong, well-balanced character is built by faithfulness in all the smaller as well as the greater acts of life. A man is measured not by power put forth in some one great effort but by the zeal and integrity brought to the daily round of cares and responsibilities, and true Christian character is marked by singleness of purpose and indomitable determination that refuses to yield to worldly influences and aims at nothing short of the Bible standard. Discouragement, bribery, seduction, terror, and setting affections on worldly treasures or honors leave men of no service in the Christian warfare. Hidden thoughts, desires, and purposes reveal who a person truly is and form the character and the life-record in heaven, because God looks at the heart rather than outward appearance.
God judges outward acts by the motives behind them, for the mind takes its coloring from the ideas it dwells on, so selfish motives make actions selfish even when their outward appearance differs. When a person abandons right principles for self-interest, that departure marks his character. What is held in the heart shapes what a person becomes and does, as seen when Israel's fearful spies and the people who accepted their report left God out of the reckoning, judged themselves unable to conquer Canaan, and declared they could not take the land. Their words proved true, for they proved unable to enter and died in the wilderness.
Caleb and Joshua trusted God's promise above giants, fortified cities, and iron chariots, and though they shared the forty years of wandering they entered the promised land, with Caleb taking the stronghold of the giants in God's strength, showing how fear or faith in the heart bears fruit in life. Life's experiences are largely the fruit of one's thoughts and deeds, and each deed brings consequences back upon its doer, so that evils that befall people can be fruit of their own sowing, though this consequence does not leave them without hope. Brooding over suspicions and interpreting others' actions in the worst way makes those imagined offenses seem real though they are untrue, and leads to misery, envy, and injustice toward others. Wrong thoughts produce wrong feelings, and dwelling on suspicion, doubt, and repining leads to unhappiness and a failed life.
Those who keep thinking that life is hard will have a hard time. Belief and expectation influence how people regard their strength, as applied to claims of weakness without meat. Selfishly demanding favor or payment out of proportion to work forms a selfish spirit and a character unlike Christ. Claiming one's own judgment is infallible reflects a mistaken view of oneself, since human beings are liable to err and must give up that claim. Allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, and rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being, showing how food choices relate to a person's physical, mental, and moral condition. Training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger.
Guarding Thought and Life
Purity of life requires a heart renewed by divine grace rather than human effort alone. Outward purity cannot be secured without such renewal, and a character built without Christ's grace will fail under temptation.
The heart and mind must be guarded from influences that foster impure thoughts. They must be deliberately kept centered on Christ, with mind and habits and every thought brought under God's control. With the Holy Spirit's help and through God's word and truth they are to be trained to dwell on what is pure and holy.
Right thinking is the only security for the soul and has ennobling power. It brings moral purity, peace, happiness, and service to God. It helps a person discern spiritual truth and resist temptation. By contrast, impure thoughts defile the soul, weaken moral sense, and dim spiritual sight, and evil thoughts damage the soul and lead to words and actions that defile.
Self-restraint grows stronger through practice, so what is difficult at first becomes easy through repetition until right thoughts and actions become habitual. A person can choose to turn from what is cheap and inferior, rise to a higher standard, and become respected by people and beloved of God.
Thoughts throughout the day shape character so they must be guarded. An impure thought leaves a deep, evil impression on soul and mind. Cherished pure and holy thoughts make a person better, quicken spiritual life, and increase power to do good. One good thought prepares the way for another, as one raindrop helps moisten the earth for the next.
Thoughts and feelings must be disciplined and brought under God's will rather than allowed to dwell on suspicion, doubt, and repining. Brooding over suspicions and interpreting others' actions in the worst way makes imagined offenses seem real though untrue, and leads to misery, envy, and injustice toward others. Such suspicious thoughts must be restrained and replaced by service in Christ's spirit. Murmuring and complaining are to be put away to let Christ's Spirit and presence fill the soul, which enables wise speech, for those who keep thinking that life is hard will have a hard time.
Evil thoughts allowed to grow and strengthened within lead to corrupt conduct, criticism, opposition to truth, and rejection of God's truth. What comes from within defiles a person and thereby reveals the person's true direction.
Appetite must be guarded through temperance. Allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, while rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being. Training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger.
As a person thinks inwardly in desires and purposes, so that person is and acts, and the saying about eat and drink pictures a host whose polite invitation hides an unwilling heart. In its setting it warns against craving the food of the rich. Cherished thoughts and feelings give direction to conduct and form moral character, and God looks on the heart and judges outward acts by their motives, since the mind takes its coloring from what it dwells upon. This is seen in fearful unbelief that left God out and could not enter the promised land, and in trust in God's promise that entered in and overcame giants and walled cities. Therefore purity of life requires a heart renewed by divine grace, with the mind guarded and trained to dwell on what is pure and holy and brought under God's control, for right thinking ennobles and protects the soul while impure and suspicious thoughts defile it and ripen into wrong words and deeds.
Meaning and Setting
A person's inner thinking determines what that person is, for thoughts held in the heart shape being and doing. What is cherished inwardly in desire, purpose and thought reveals the true self and gives direction to words and actions. Hidden inward things form character and form the life record as seen in heaven, because judgment looks at the heart rather than outward appearance. The mind takes its bent from what it dwells upon, so that allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, while training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger, showing how food choices touch physical, mental and moral condition.
The eating and drinking in the proverb is outward hospitality that does not match the inward man. The host says eat and drink, yet his heart is not with his guest and his invitation does not express his inward intent.
In its setting the saying warns against desiring the food of the rich man. Rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being, so appetite must be guarded through temperance.
Thought Forms Character
As a man thinks in his heart so is he, because cherished thoughts and feelings give direction to conduct and thus determine character and course of action, and thoughts and feelings together form moral character. One man deficient in faith and courage exerts a weakening influence on others, while a strong, well-balanced character is built by faithfulness in all the smaller as well as the greater acts of life. A man is measured not by power put forth in some one great effort but by the zeal and integrity brought to the daily round of cares and responsibilities, and true Christian character is marked by singleness of purpose and indomitable determination that refuses to yield to worldly influences and aims at nothing short of the Bible standard. Discouragement, bribery, seduction, terror, and setting affections on worldly treasures or honors leave men of no service in the Christian warfare. Hidden thoughts, desires, and purposes reveal who a person truly is and form the character and the life-record in heaven, because God looks at the heart rather than outward appearance.
God judges outward acts by the motives behind them, for the mind takes its coloring from the ideas it dwells on, so selfish motives make actions selfish even when their outward appearance differs. When a person abandons right principles for self-interest, that departure marks his character. What is held in the heart shapes what a person becomes and does, as seen when Israel's fearful spies and the people who accepted their report left God out of the reckoning, judged themselves unable to conquer Canaan, and declared they could not take the land. Their words proved true, for they proved unable to enter and died in the wilderness.
Caleb and Joshua trusted God's promise above giants, fortified cities, and iron chariots, and though they shared the forty years of wandering they entered the promised land, with Caleb taking the stronghold of the giants in God's strength, showing how fear or faith in the heart bears fruit in life. Life's experiences are largely the fruit of one's thoughts and deeds, and each deed brings consequences back upon its doer, so that evils that befall people can be fruit of their own sowing, though this consequence does not leave them without hope. Brooding over suspicions and interpreting others' actions in the worst way makes those imagined offenses seem real though they are untrue, and leads to misery, envy, and injustice toward others. Wrong thoughts produce wrong feelings, and dwelling on suspicion, doubt, and repining leads to unhappiness and a failed life.
Those who keep thinking that life is hard will have a hard time. Belief and expectation influence how people regard their strength, as applied to claims of weakness without meat. Selfishly demanding favor or payment out of proportion to work forms a selfish spirit and a character unlike Christ. Claiming one's own judgment is infallible reflects a mistaken view of oneself, since human beings are liable to err and must give up that claim. Allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, and rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being, showing how food choices relate to a person's physical, mental, and moral condition. Training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger.
Guarding Thought and Life
Purity of life requires a heart renewed by divine grace rather than human effort alone. Outward purity cannot be secured without such renewal, and a character built without Christ's grace will fail under temptation.
The heart and mind must be guarded from influences that foster impure thoughts. They must be deliberately kept centered on Christ, with mind and habits and every thought brought under God's control. With the Holy Spirit's help and through God's word and truth they are to be trained to dwell on what is pure and holy.
Right thinking is the only security for the soul and has ennobling power. It brings moral purity, peace, happiness, and service to God. It helps a person discern spiritual truth and resist temptation. By contrast, impure thoughts defile the soul, weaken moral sense, and dim spiritual sight, and evil thoughts damage the soul and lead to words and actions that defile.
Self-restraint grows stronger through practice, so what is difficult at first becomes easy through repetition until right thoughts and actions become habitual. A person can choose to turn from what is cheap and inferior, rise to a higher standard, and become respected by people and beloved of God.
Thoughts throughout the day shape character so they must be guarded. An impure thought leaves a deep, evil impression on soul and mind. Cherished pure and holy thoughts make a person better, quicken spiritual life, and increase power to do good. One good thought prepares the way for another, as one raindrop helps moisten the earth for the next.
Thoughts and feelings must be disciplined and brought under God's will rather than allowed to dwell on suspicion, doubt, and repining. Brooding over suspicions and interpreting others' actions in the worst way makes imagined offenses seem real though untrue, and leads to misery, envy, and injustice toward others. Such suspicious thoughts must be restrained and replaced by service in Christ's spirit. Murmuring and complaining are to be put away to let Christ's Spirit and presence fill the soul, which enables wise speech, for those who keep thinking that life is hard will have a hard time.
Evil thoughts allowed to grow and strengthened within lead to corrupt conduct, criticism, opposition to truth, and rejection of God's truth. What comes from within defiles a person and thereby reveals the person's true direction.
Appetite must be guarded through temperance. Allowing appetite to rule brings the mind under its control, while rich food may gratify appetite but can pervert the whole being. Training the stomach to reject harmful food makes simple food sufficient to satisfy hunger.