AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE......

Examining Proverbs 23:7



It’s a popular verse that is often misapplied.

The meaning is lost when contextual interpretation is disregarded


7. “Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;



7. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.



8. The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.”
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Apparently, this means a man’s personality is formed by what he thinks


That is, a man becomes what he consistently thinks about



As true as the foregoing may be, it is not the message the writer is trying to pass across


How many people have invited us to partake in a meal yet they are not really pleased!

“Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

“Come and join me” is a familiar refrain in our culture to invite guests to sup with us during mealtimes .


But then does he really want you to join him ?

He is a miser


That is who he really is


You do not know who he really is because you’re not looking at his heart

Do not be deceived by his generous invitation



Do not rely on his seemingly gracious words but discern the motives of his heart.

As he thinketh in his heart, so is he




The writer of 1 Samuel agrees

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””
‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A man is not known by the content of his words or his appearance but by the silent thoughts of his heart



He is not the man his mouth speaks or appears to be, but what his heart thinks



As a man thinks in his heart, so is he



Blessings!