“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food” (Proverbs 23:1-3).
The purpose of a formal dinner is not to make sure the guests get a good meal to eat. If you attend with this expectation, you will leave the event disappointed, and either hungry or with a severe stomach ache.
Among the rich and powerful, the purpose of a formal dinner is to show off one’s (real or illusionary) wealth, connections, and influence. Even the menu—with its “delicacies”—will be designed to display this.
The timeless truth Solomon is seeking to communicate about the rich and powerful is: Rarely are things as they appear. The world tends to envy and imitate these people. This is foolish, because much of their lives is spent in keeping up appearances. This is a vain and unfulfilling way to live.
Living a godly life with contentment (1 Tim. 6:6) is the wiser, far superior, and more fulfilling way to live.
