You CAN Have Too Much Of A Good Thing.

“Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!” – Proverbs 25:16 NLT

A good meal can make you good and sick, if you eat too much. Too much sleep can leave you feeling tired. Too much money can make you lazy, overconfident, and unwilling to work. Too much exercise can lead to injury. Too much of anything can lead to overindulgence. So God calls us to live lives of moderation, not excess, because you really can have too much of a good thing. This particular truth is so apparent and obvious, yet we see it violated everyday in so many ways. Children are spoiled by parents who give in to their kid’s demands, showering them with everything they want. You’ve seen the child with too many toys, too much control, too much money and too little in the way of boundaries. It’s not a pretty picture. But then neither is the man or woman who has too much alcohol. They can be obnoxious and even dangerous if they get behind the wheel of a car. And then there’s obesity, the national pandemic that illustrates our love affair with food and inability to moderate our intake.

Too much food. Too much TV. Too much work. Too many clothes. Too much house. Too much noise. Too many sweets. Too much stimulation. Too much self.

Wait a minute, what does SELF have to do with excess and moderation? At the end of the day, so much of our excess is self-directed. We are trying to satisfy our own selfish desires. We crave sleep, so we give ourselves more than we need. We refuse to deny our desires. We want clothes, so we buy more than we could possibly wear. We want recognition, so we work more hours than necessary, in hopes that our sacrifice will be recognized and rewarded. We want food, but instead of simply meeting our body’s need for fuel, we attempt to satisfy some inner craving for more. Overindulgence is out of control in our society, and in many of our lives. But many of us don’t even recognize it any more. We excuse it and rationalize it. We have become comfortable with it.

But a godly person understands that more is not necessarily better. There is a contentment that comes with godliness. There is a satisfaction that comes from knowing God and appreciating what He gives that will never be matched by more of anything else. Too much honey just makes you sick. But you can never have too much of God. You can have too much religion. You can do too many spiritually looking things – like attend too many Bible studies, read too many Christian books, attend too many Christian seminars or download too much Christian music. When we finally understand that God is our sole source of sustenance and satisfaction, all the other things in life we consume and get consumed by, will mean less to us, so we won’t constantly need more. There is an old chorus whose lyrics state this same truth: “Little is much when God is in it! Labor not for wealth or fame. There’s a crown — and you can win it, if you go in Jesus’ Name.”

A truly satisfied man needs little. If we are satisfied in Jesus, nothing else is required. More of anything else becomes unnecessary. More clothes won’t make us happy. More food won’t make us full. More house won’t make us significant. More money won’t meet our needs. More work won’t make us more worthy. More friends won’t make us popular. A godly man or woman is a satisfied man or woman. They have learned that, in Christ, they have all they need.

I am satisfied with Jesus,
He has done so much for me:
He has suffered to redeem me,
He has died to set me free.

Father, I am surrounded by too much. I desire too much. I already have too much. But my own selfish heart too often desires more. Help me learn to be satisfied with You and all You have done for me. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org