Sayings of the Wise #15 - Value Moderation; Shun Drunkenness (Prov. 23:19–21)

Saying 15 | Value Moderation; Shun Drunkenness

Proverbs 23:19–21 (NASB 1995)

“Listen, my son, and be wise,

And direct your heart in the way.

Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,

Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,

And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.”

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✨ Lady Wisdom Speaks

“Daughters, come and listen.
Wisdom invites you to a table—not a table of food only,
but a table of understanding.

The proverb says, ‘Listen, be wise, and direct your heart in the way.’
That means: learn to guide your heart before your heart guides you.

Some people fill their lives with too much—too much food, too much talk, too much work, too much worry.
They think more will satisfy them, but it only makes them weary.

The Bible warns us not only about drunkenness with wine,
but also about a drunk heart—a heart filled with things that make it lose control.
When your heart is drunk on comfort, success, or comparison,
you cannot walk straight in the way of the Lord.

Self-control is not about saying no to joy; it’s about saying yes to wisdom.
Moderation protects your peace.
It helps you enjoy life without being mastered by it.

The glutton and the drunkard come to poverty because they forget direction.
They follow their appetite instead of following God.
Soon their spirit grows sleepy—what Scripture calls ‘drowsiness.’
It means they stop feeling, stop praying, stop seeing clearly.

So, I say again, ‘Direct your heart in the way.’
Let the Holy Spirit guide when to rest and when to rise,
when to speak and when to stay silent,
when to take more and when to stop.

Remember, wisdom doesn’t take away the feast—it teaches you how to eat with grace.
She doesn’t silence your laughter—she helps it last longer.
She doesn’t remove desire—she directs it toward what is good.

Live with balance, daughters,
and your joy will stay full without spilling over into regret.”

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🌸 A Few Moments Later …

The women sat quietly for a moment.
Then one said, “The part that stayed with me was, ‘A drunk heart cannot walk straight.’”

Another nodded. “I liked, ‘Wisdom teaches you how to eat with grace.’ It reminded me to be careful with blessings.”

A third added, “I’ll remember, ‘Moderation protects your peace.’ That’s something I need right now.”

Lady Wisdom smiled,
“Then the lesson has been received—not just heard, but understood.

🌿 Lesson Takeaway — Balance Brings Blessing

Moderation keeps your heart steady and your spirit awake.
Too much of anything—even a good thing—can dull your love for God and steal your peace.
But when you let the Holy Spirit guide your choices,
you’ll find joy that lasts, strength that stays, and wisdom that keeps your life in order.

“Listen, be wise, and direct your heart in the way.” — Proverbs 23:19 

Time to Share:

What part of Lady Wisdom’s message stood out to you most?
Was it a word, a phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph that spoke to your heart?

Share it in the comments below.

For example:

• “A drunk heart cannot walk straight.” 

• “Moderation” 

• “Wisdom doesn’t remove joy—she refines it.” 

• “Direct your heart in the way.”

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Thank you!  Have a wonderful weekend.

Remember to extend some encouragement to others.