Proverbs 9:2
“…wisdom has set her table well...”
I love to cook, and it is wonderful when you hear people come into the kitchen and say, “Man, that sure does smell good!”
People start partaking of the meal just from the looks and the smells. Finally, if it looks good…and if it smells good…more than likely it is going to taste good...right? However, looks and smells can be deceiving…but taste...that is the ultimate judge! It is the one sense which without a doubt will reveal the quality and interior character of the ingredients themselves…and how well they were prepared! Take for example…a red rose and a red cabbage. One looks and smells wonderful…the other somewhat homely in both smell and appearance…but only one can make a soup worth eating!
If we expect to have an impact on those around us, the appearance of the way we live our lives should appeal to those around us. Appearance goes way beyond the clothes that we wear and the vehicles that we drive. Our appearance also deals with the smile on our face, the love we have for our friends and family…and just as important…the love that they have for us. It deals with our ability to display self-control, speak with kindness, show courtesy, and when we serve others…do it with a spirit of meekness and humility.
Finally, we come to what I feel is maybe not the most important aspect, but nevertheless a very necessary one...the atmosphere. Certainly, there are restaurants with elaborate decorations of various designs that give people a certain feel. These aesthetic designs are to make people feel like maybe they are on a vacation to Hawaii, or in a lodge in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. However, I believe that the most important aspects of atmosphere are the cleanliness and neatness of the restaurant itself. At no other time in a person’s daily routine are they more conscious about eating…than where they are...when it comes time to eat.
In many ways, our lives are set forth like a meal. We first get people interested in the appearance of our character and spirit. If they like what they see, then they might even consider taking a closer look into what makes us that way.