How Much Honey?

Proverbs 25:16-28

16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the LORD will reward you.

23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25 As cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a far country.

26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

27 It is not good to eat much honey;
So to seek one's own glory is not glory.
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

The scriptures first tell us if we find some honey to not eat too much because we may vomit if it fills our stomachs, then later we are told it is not good to eat too much as a parable of seeking our own glory, only to find it does not fill us as glory (but is then as too much in the belly which causes it to be lost in throwing it up).  In between verses 16 and 27 we are given parables describing excess and self-control, culminating in the final verse telling us that a lack of self-control makes us as vulnerable to ruin as of an ancient city with no walls of protection left.  The examples of excess and moderation include overstaying our welcome by coming too often to visit, not giving them time with their families on their own, and of going further to lie about a neighbor so that they get into trouble or gain a bad reputation.  This may be related to overstaying the welcome and finally be told to leave and taking vengeance by such slander.  Excess of confidence is one who is not to be trusted because of their unfaithfulness is misplaced and crippling trust which could be avoided by our self-control in giving too much credit to one known not to be a credible help in times of trouble.  Our excess can also be like singing to cheer someone up when they are depressed instead of being there to comfort in presence and with few words to not be overdoing with words of honey that may make the person feel worse.  Then there is the verse quoted in Romans 12:20-21 as our response to those who mistreat us, not with vengeance but by covering them with doing good in return for their evil.  This may be in reference to the practice of coals being carried on the head as a sign of repentance practiced by some Egyptians in that time, that in returning good for evil and showing the warmth of kindness a person might motivate that enemy to turn from doing evil to doing good.  We do this by avoiding the excess of vengeful retribution in feeding them and caring for their needs instead.  The excess of backbiting others brings only an angry response and living with a contentious person without self-control of their words make some wish they could hide in the attic to avoid such an argumentative companion, let alone a spouse.  Self-control instead brings words of good news, words of life and peace with God and man as if from a far away land.  This is also a picture of the gospel which is good news from the heavenly country far from us apart from Christ.  The failing to speak this news can be likened to falling into unrighteous behavior or speech in the presence of evil and ungodly people who will use this to discredit us and our message of the righteousness of Christ we all need.  Self-control overrides the excess of joining in with worldliness in association or vengeance in speech.  Yes, it is not good to eat too much of a good and sweet thing such as honey, a picture of self-seeking glory over seeking God’s glory.  This only causes us ruin as the defenseless city told of here.  The question then is how much honey do we take and eat?