Too Much of a Good Thing

Today's guest devotion, by Debby Mayne, comes from: Delight Yourself in the Lord…Even on Bad Hair Days © 2011 Summerside Press

Too Much of a Good Thing

It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor. Proverbs 25:27

After I grew tired of scrimping and pinching pennies, I got a part-time job as a merchandising sales representative for a candy company about twenty years ago. My boss sent me home with a huge stash of candy at the end of my first day of training. Until then, my kids rarely had sugar—mostly only for special occasions. I walked in the door and placed it on the kitchen counter without a second thought before going upstairs to do some chores while my kids watched a movie.

When I came back down, my older daughter Alison who was seven or eight at the time lay on the couch, clutching her stomach. "I ate too much Laffy Taffy," she moaned. I went into the kitchen and glanced at the jar. At least a third of the candy was missing.

I looked over at my other daughter Lauren, who smiled and said, "I'm not sick. I didn't eat too much." That was a relief because having one sick little girl was enough.

Although Proverbs 25:27 isn't speaking directly to eating too much Laffy Taffy, it does relate in a symbolic sort of way. A little bit of a good thing is…well, good. Too much can be nauseating and take our focus away from God. It can also create an extreme dislike of whatever was overdone. To this day, I bet Alison would be perfectly happy if she never saw another piece of purple Laffy Taffy again. Even the reminder of that day twenty years ago elicits a groan.

In this world of overindulgence, it's easy to overdo anything—from food and personal possessions to ambition. A little bit of career ambition is fine because it generally brings an income for the family and respect from peers. However, too much leads to greed and often contempt. Climbing the corporate ladder has provided many people with fat wallets but empty lives. Then there's athletic ambition. Most people know of those overachievers who are determined to win at all costs, and they're willing to abuse their bodies, their friends, and their spiritual lives to have that moment of glory. But once they step down off that pedestal, it's over. What then?

As a Christian, I'm working hard at not wanting more of what I already have. It's so easy to fall into the trap of craving "one more" of anything because one more leads to another, and it never seems to stop until it harms us. Scripture is very clear that the only thing we can't get too much of is time with Him in His word.

Today's Prayer: Dear Lord, may I learn to be satisfied with enough and not long for more than I need. The wisdom in Your word shows time and again that this is the way we should live. Amen.  

Debby Mayne grew up in a military family that moved often throughout her childhood. She was born in Alaska and has lived in Mississippi, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, Hawaii, and Japan. Debby has published approximately 400 short stories and print articles, hundreds of online articles, and a slew of devotions for busy women in addition to more than 25 books and novellas, including Love Finds You on Christmas Morning. Visit her website at www.DebbyMayne.com