Knife to the Throat

In Proverbs Chap. 23 it began by warning the reader about his appetite. We are told not to be given over to an appetite

Proverbs 23:2- And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite

We are told in pretty drastic measures "put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

If someone were to place a knife upon my throat I would be in immediate danger. Could the picture here be that my appetites could be harmful to me as well as others? What could happen, sitting at a table with others? There's danger of a loose tongue. Loose tongues can lead to shame, anger, embarrassment, destruction of another and separation of friendships.

As we come to the close of this chapter we are given an example of one who has given to their appetite

Proverbs 23:29- Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes

 One that has given in to their appetite and the results follow

Proverbs 23:30- They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine

Giving into their appetite caused them to terry long and then to seek. It starts with the eyes then to the desire then to longing then to the action then to the downward results

Here the appetite is alcohol and what the end destruction is; it’s an uncontrolled appetite. But this appetite can be many things it could be anger; anger is a trap and when you fall into that trap you are giving place to the devil in your life. It's not wrong to be anger it wrong to hold on to that anger

Ephesians 4:26- Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath

Don't let the sun set on your anger. Why not? The next verse tells why

Ephesians 4:27- Neither give place to the devil

If I stay angry, harbour my anger then I give the devil a place in my life.  I don't want the devil to have place in my life. I must view anger as a knife to my throat. For if I harbour anger danger is near, for I'm giving place to the enemy of my soul and he will use that for destruction. The enemy will use my anger to destroy friendships, destroy families, and create havoc in businesses, Churches. Once I allow the enemy in through anger he then began a root system that will cause bitterness and use it to destroy others.