IMPROVING YOUR FOOD

Proverbs 17:1 and 14 NKJV 

1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,

Than a house full of feasting with strife. 

14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; 

Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. 

I admit I am not a foodie. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like bad food. And I don’t like cheap fast food. On second thought, I may be more of a food snob than I originally thought. But the scriptures are clear on this one thing. Meager food and a good environment are better than a gourmet meal with strife.   

Strife means a contention, a controversy, a quarrel, or a dispute. The Bible is not a fan of strife. Contentions and quarreling can absolutely ruin a good meal, but more importantly, strife ruins a good environment. Constant strife in a home makes it difficult for everyone who lives there. I can still remember, as a young boy, when my parents were arguing; it made me very uncomfortable and very insecure. My parents never split up, but they came very close, and those times of strife were hard.   

I wish I could say that I was so impacted by that childhood experience that I never brought it into my marriage, but unfortunately, the opposite was true. I was constantly contentious. Joy asked me if I actually enjoyed arguing. Most of the strife that took place in our home was on me. And my children still remember those times. Strife is no good.   

But thank God for His mercy and His help. The strife in our home began to decrease. And what a difference maker. Verse 14 is a great tool for reducing the level of strife in any relationship. Stop it before it starts. Once you open the door to strife, it’s like letting water out of a dam. It’s hard to hold it back. There are times when I know I could say something, but if I do, it will stir things up. Learning to practice James 1:19, be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry has helped. I used to pride myself on being quick to speak. But that’s not God’s way and not the way of wisdom.   

So, for those of you who are concerned with too much strife in your relationships, the three verses I shared are good ones to memorize and practice. And even if the other person is not on the same page, you controlling you will still make a difference. And the extra bonus is that your food will taste better.   

PRAYER  

Lord, help me to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. I do want to dramatically reduce the strife in my life.