“Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you” (Proverbs 25:16-17).
It is possible to have too much of a good thing, and here Solomon gives two very different examples of that maxim.
Food is a necessity of life. Honey was the ancients most readily available way to enjoy something sweet to the tastebuds (I.e., a dessert). The possibility of consuming too much in a short period of time and then experiencing an adverse reaction was real. The wisdom of moderation would counsel you to ration your delicious treat over a period of time. Eat only as much as you need to satiate your sweet tooth. Moderation would prevent the misery of vomiting and the blessing of economizing the honey.
Neighbors, especially good ones, are a tremendous blessing (Prov. 27:10). In ancient cities, there was greater safety in numbers (Prov. 3:29), especially if the city was enclosed by a wall. However, being a neighbor who “wears out his welcome” is not a good thing. Moderation will prevent you from being a nuisance in your neighbor.
The wisdom of moderation blesses everything it touches.
