Proverbs 17:1

"Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting and strife." (Proverbs 17:1 NAS)

I find this verse to have a settling and centering quality, and quite encouraging as well. The theme is echoed in Proverbs 15:17, though with a slightly different emphasis. What also comes to mind is the account of Daniel 1 where Daniel (and friends), having been enlisted by the king for his personal service after first completing three years of royal academic schooling, chooses not to eat of King Nebuchadnezzar's choice food. Instead he chooses a diet of water and vegetables. And you have to wonder what his companions Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah thought about this drastic menu change. Verse 8 states that it was Daniel who made up his mind that he (and therefore his friends also) would not defile himself with the king's choice food or wine. Maybe the four of them discussed it and were immediately on one accord with the decision, then again it may have taken some convincing. Or perhaps they didn't reach a consensus. We really don't know. Can you imagine having the finest cuisine available to you on a daily basis, from a five star restaurant or even the White House, only to choose vegetables and water? It turns out that after ten days Daniel and his pals end up looking healthier and stronger on this meager, simple diet than those who feasted on the most sumptuous of foods.

Health reasons aside, the problem with eating the rich royal diet is there are strings attached. Proverbs 17:1 lays out more than just a choice of foods, but the atmosphere that goes along with each choice. We should always be aware of our surroundings and consider the consequences of our decisions. Sure, a smorgasbord sounds great, but what is the cost for partaking of it? What compromises must we make? Just imagine the aromas of the delicious royal foods wafting their way out of the king's kitchen and into Daniel's living quarters. I don't know whether that happened, but if it did it sure would have made it tempting to put the kibosh on the vegetables and water.

I remember a few years ago reading of a couple who left high-paying jobs in Manhattan for a much simpler, spartan existence as farmers in upstate New York. They had decided the six-figure salaries weren't worth all of the toil, stress and just plain busyness of the lifestyle that came with them. As a result, though they had a lot less money and material things, they were much happier. Indeed, it is far better to choose the simpler, quieter life (even if it means less money) , than to go for the fast track with it's quarreling, division and confusion.