1. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
Very familiar – Often Quoted Text

2. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
Usually applied to positive thinking
Idea: Think rich to be rich
Think you have ability to have ability

3. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.

4. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
Two Faced
Pretends
Generosity
Really
Isn’t

5. “As a
Man
Thinks, So
is He

6. “As a Man Thinks, So is He”
The Meaning

7. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking
Positive thinking is important
An “I can” attitude is Biblical (Phil. 4:13)
Is true – that must think you can before you can
But that is not the point of this text!

8. The Meaning
Point is not positive thinking
Context: is a miser

9. Proverbs 23:6–8 6 Do not eat the bread of a miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

10. 6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;
The Meaning
Point is not positive thinking
Context: is a miser
Verse 6
A warning about eat the food of a miser
Miser = one who stingy
Translations: “stingy” (ESV), “selfish” (NCV), “begrudging host” (NIV), “tightwad” (Messenger)
6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;

11. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking Context: is a miser Verse 6
“as thinks in heart”
“inwardly calculating” (ESV)
“like someone calculating the cost” (NET)
“always thinking about the cost” (NIV)
“like a hair in the throat, so are they” (NRSV, LXX)
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

12. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking Context: is a miser Verse 6
“as thinks in heart”
Says: “eat and drink”
“Eat more – eat all you want”
Know what he should say – what is expected – and wants the credit for it!
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

13. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking Context: is a miser Verse 6
“as thinks in heart”
Says: “eat and drink”
Doesn’t mean it at all
Thinking otherwise
Hoping the guest will not eat – because of the cost
His words “eat…” stick like a hair in your throat!
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

14. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking Context: is a miser Verse 6
Will vomit up what eaten = attitude of the host will make you sick
Waste pleasant words – Your thanks & compliments are wasted (cf. NIV)
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

15. The Meaning Point is not positive thinking Context: is a miser
Summary of the text
Miser is not generous (Isa. 32:5)
He feigns his generosity – saying “eat and drink”
However, his THINKING is not same as his words
As he thinks – that is the real man!

16. “As a Man Thinks, So is He”
The Meaning
The Application

17. The Application Hypocrisy – Pretend to be what we are not
Put on a front – what want others to think
Mark 7:6 – put on front of praise – heart not there
Matt. 23:25-27 – clean on outside – filthy inside
But are really happy with the real self (may not show)

18. The Application Hypocrisy – Pretend to be what we are not
What one thinks is the real person
Feigns generosity – but thinks stingy
Feigns love – but thinks hatred
Feigns purity – but thinks lust
Feigns cares – but thinks thoughtless
Feigns agrees – but thinks not true
Feigns interest – but thinks don’t care
Feigns spiritual priority – but think money / material
Feigns devotion to family – but thinks work / others
Feigns forgiveness – but thinks getting even

19. “as he thinks in his heart, so is he”
Money / Material
Sensual
Hatred
“as he thinks in his heart, so is he”

20. The Application Hypocrisy – Pretend to be what we are not
What one thinks is the real person
Think in harmony with what should / want to be
Phil. 4:8 – think on these in view of becoming
Gear our thinking to what need to be
When realize – impression I’m leaving is not the way I think or feel – then change my thinking!
Think about being honest
Think about being generous
Think about caring
Think about being spiritual

21. The Application Hypocrisy – Pretend to be what we are not
What one thinks is the real person
Think in harmony with what should / want to be
Disappointment at exposure of real thinking
Sick – like a hair in the throat
When realize fellow Christian – not what claiming
When realize friend – not the friend you thought
When realize family member – not as devoted as act
When realize the surface is not genuine!

22. “As a Man Thinks, So is He”
The Meaning
The Application