Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;
7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
Being Invited Around For Dinner
Some people don’t know how to stop talking about money because it is always on their minds. Some people are self-preoccupied, so that when you are eating something that they want, their only thought is that they wish they were eating it themselves. Even though hospitality was a huge deal in the ancient world, such self-centered people existed in that time too. People back then felt uncomfortable as their host would recount how expensive the meal was and how they couldn’t really afford it, but … People then would worry so much about the expenditure that the key to being a good host would be missed. It is imperitive to host people in such a way that God is trusted and thanked for the provision of the food. It is important that hosts are free to show compassion for their guests.
On the other side of the deal, after you find that your friends are more interested in their wallet than you, find new friends to dine with, or challenge the priorities of your friends in the most loving way possible.
Questions
- What nice foods do you crave?
- What if those foods were presented begrudgingly?
- Have you ever been a begrudging host?
- Is it possible to be generous with food but begrudging with time?
- How should you plan meals with friends who are begrudging in some way?
Plymothian 