Proverbs 23:1-5

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about leadership and their deception:

Proverbs 23:1-5 (ESV)

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to appetite.

Do not desire his delicacies,

for they are deceptive food.

Do not toil to acquire wealth;

be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone,

for suddenly it sprouts wings,

flying like an eagle toward heaven.

We like to be around wealthy and powerful people.  We like to seat around their table and partake of there food, entertainment, fellowship and, we think, friendship.   Solomon knows our hearts, however.  He knows that when we sit with them it is not for the purpose of giving.  It is for the purpose of receiving.  We don't wish to add to their wealth with our visit, but rather add to ours.    The first five verses of this chapter should be read in unison and hinged together.   You could consider them separately, but in reality Solomon is telling us that our hearts are bing lead astray if we sit with rulers and have an eye for wealth either with them or through their provisions.   Our desire for food and wealth (used here as metaphors for folly) shows the deception of our hearts, the rulers real purpose for allowing you to sit at his table and the deceptive nature of food and wealth.   We only want something from rulers; rulers really only want something from us; and, food and wealth are deceptive by offering satisfaction only to be later useless and temporary.   When we engage with people of means we need to guarded that our members (lust for things) are used as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6-7).  Only Christ can guard us against these desires and ultimately satisfy us.