What is the meaning of Proverbs 23:21? For the drunkard and the glutton - Scripture groups drunkenness and gluttony together because both indulge bodily appetites without restraint (cf. Proverbs 23:20; Deuteronomy 21:20). - Drunkenness dulls the mind, while gluttony weighs down the body; in either form, self-control—the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23—is tossed aside. - Proverbs 20:1 warns, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise”. - Overindulgence distances a person from wisdom and puts them at odds with the call to glorify God in body and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Will come to poverty - Habitual excess drains resources: money that could serve family, church, or neighbor disappears into fleeting cravings (Proverbs 21:17). - Poverty here is more than financial; it includes spiritual and relational lack. Luke 15:14 pictures the prodigal son “when he had spent all,” reduced by reckless living. - The warning echoes Proverbs 13:18: “Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline”. God’s loving discipline urges moderation for long-term blessing. And drowsiness will clothe them in rags - Overindulgence often leads to lethargy—late mornings, missed opportunities, half-hearted work (Proverbs 19:15). - “A little sleep, a little slumber… and poverty will come upon you” (Proverbs 24:33-34) shows how small, repeated lapses grow into visible ruin. - Rags symbolize public evidence of private choices; what begins as hidden indulgence eventually shows on the outside (Proverbs 10:4; Ephesians 5:18). summary Proverbs 23:21 underscores that unchecked appetite—whether for drink, food, or leisure—erodes discipline, drains resources, and produces visible ruin. God’s wisdom urges self-control, diligent labor, and sober living so that hearts and hands remain ready for His service and blessing. |
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