Jul '25 • Weekly Lab
Appetites, Ambition, and Authority: What Proverbs 23 Reveals About You
Join us for 12X Lab: Wisdom in Action - Today at 8:00 AM EST
Our next 12X Lab class starts in just a few minutes: 8:00 AM EST sharp.
If you haven’t already, stop what you’re doing, take 5 minutes, and read Proverbs 23. Bring your Bible, a notebook, and a heart ready to receive.
As always, we’ll be applying God's wisdom to the three domains that shape your entire life:SELF | WEALTH | RELATIONSHIPS
But today’s session will feel especially relevant, and uncomfortable , for many. Because Proverbs 23 pulls back the curtain on the very desires that drive, shape and grow or destroy us!
AS usual, this morning we will focus on three texts:
- Self-Mastery – Proverbs 23:20–21
- Wealth & Influence – Proverbs 23:4–5
- Relationships & Community – Proverbs 23:22–25
Each verse carries with it a world of insight. Let me show you why this chapter is essential for today’s world - and your life.
I. SELF-MASTERY: Solomon says, What’s Feeding You is Leading You
“Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty:and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20–21)
This is not simply a call to avoid overeating and overdrinking. It’s a command to examine your appetites. To ask:
- What do I reach for when I’m tired, sad, bored, or anxious?
- What indulgences have I normalized that are slowly numbing my soul?
Three Hebrew Word Studies to help our understanding (Prov. 4:7):
- Winebibbers (ס֣בְאֵי־יָ֑יִן | sabʾê-yayin) – Those who are soaked in wine, not just drinkers, but saturated in indulgence.
- Riotous eaters (זֹ֝ל֗לֵי בָּשָֽׂר | zolelê basar) – From zalal, meaning to devour, to squander. These are not hungry men. They are enslaved to appetite.
- Drowsiness (תַּרְדֵּמָ֖ה | tardemah) – A slumber that implies moral and spiritual laziness, not just physical fatigue.
The warning is clear: Unrestrained appetite leads to unfulfilled potential.And worse - it leads to rags. To poverty. Not only financial, but spiritual. Emotional. Relational.
It's critical that you understand that this is not about dieting. It’s about discipline. Fools feed the flesh. The wise crucify it (Galatians 5:24).
II. WEALTH & INFLUENCE: When You Chase It, It Flees
“Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?for riches certainly make themselves wings;they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” (Proverbs 23:4–5)
This is one of the clearest warnings in Scripture against the deception of wealth as a life-goal.
Let’s be clear: the Bible doesn’t condemn wealth. It condemns the worship of it, the pursuit of it above wisdom or more important things and the love of it, over God and others. Though Solomon was extremely wealthy, Wisdom demands that he challenges, ridicules and rebukes the man who spends his life chasing it.
Word Studies that help our understanding:
- Labour (עָמֵל | amal) – To toil in sorrow or burdensome work. It’s effort fueled by anxiety, not stewardship.
- Cease from thine own wisdom (חָכְמָֽתֶךָ | chokmatekha) – Stop relying on your own cleverness, plans, or schemes. Trust in the LORD with all your heart (Prov. 3:5–6).
- Wings (כָּנָף | kanaph) – Symbolic of swiftness and escape. Riches are not just unstable—they are fleeing. They’re gone before you realize they were never yours.
This passage calls every entrepreneur, hustler, and business builder to ask:Are you working for purpose - or pushing for profit?Are you operating from calling, or grinding from craving?
If your eye is only on money, it will mock you as it flies away.
III. RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNITY: The Joy of Being Teachable
“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.” (Proverbs 23:22–25)
Here, the Spirit of God highlights the beauty of generational wisdom and the power of honoring those who came before you.
This is about more than respecting your biological parents. It is about posturing yourself to listen to correction, value truth, and make others glad through righteous living.
Key Word Studies:
- Hearken (שָׁמַע | shama) - To listen with the intent to obey. Not passive hearing. Active humility.
- Despise (בּוּז | buz) - To hold in contempt or undervalue. Our culture mocks age. Scripture calls us to honor it.
- Buy the truth (אֱמֶת | emeth) - Truth is not free. It costs time, effort, humility, sometimes even relationships. But once you get it, do not sell it.
The righteous child brings joy. But only after they’ve bought truth, embraced correction, and rejected the urge to despise those who carried them when they could not walk.
Ask yourself:
- Who have I stopped listening to?
- What truth have I sold to gain the approval of the world?
Final Call: Join the Lab Today
If you’ve never joined us for a 12X Lab session before, today is the day.8:00 AM EST sharp.
You will:
- Receive live teaching from an open Bible
- Hear insights from Proverbs 23 that apply to your real life
- Learn how to interpret and apply Scripture the way God intended
- And be challenged to walk in greater Self-Mastery, Wealth with Wisdom, and Relationships built on Reverence
Read Proverbs 23. Take 5 minutes.Ask the Spirit to show you something you’ve missed.
Then bring your Bible, your notebook, and your hunger for change.
We’ll see you inside.
Lastly, what stood out to you as you read above? What area do you need to focus on this week so you grow in Wisdom? Please bless us all by leaving your comments. We love learning and growing together! don't just read, interact in the community - you will get the most out of this process when you do that!
The Wisdom Coach
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Appetites, Ambition, and Authority: What Proverbs 23 Reveals About You
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