“Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me!” (Proverbs 9:4,5 MSG)

I will be the first to admit it: I am the absolute worst when I’m hungry.

There’s a point of no return on my gotta-eat-o-meter that I’m always aware of. If I get too far past it my brain gets foggy, my mood takes all kinds of sharp turns, and my overall judgment isn’t the best. The only thing that’s worse is if I’m cold AND hungry. In that case you might as well throw a blanket and a cheeseburger in my general direction and keep on moving! 

I’m not proud of it, but I am aware of it. I eat at pretty much the same times every day. I’ve always got snacks with me just in case, because hungry turns into hangry really quick…and that’s not a great place to be.

Knowing these things about myself makes it easy to recognize them in others, especially my kids. I figured out when they were just little things that it’s best to give them a snack after school before beginning homework, or even just asking them about their day. Even now when one is particularly upset and overreacting, my first reaction is to find out the last time they’ve eaten. If it’s been awhile, I slide a snack their way and we revisit the conversation later.

Is it possible to be spiritually hangry? I think so! In Proverbs chapter 9 Lady Wisdom throws a dinner party and invites all to attend. 

“Are you confused about life?” (Yep.) “Don’t know what’s going on?” (Consistently.)

Wisdom says, “Come have dinner with me!”

It’s the spiritual equivalent of someone throwing me a cheeseburger, or me sliding my kids an after- school snack!

Seriously, though, it shows when it’s been too long since we’ve sat at Wisdom’s table. Minds grow foggy and judgment tanks. It’s hard to think straight on an empty spiritual stomach! We can absolutely survive in this state for a while, in the same way that I can go all day without eating. It sure makes life unnecessarily difficult to go that route, though, doesn’t it? 

Regular “meals” at the table of Wisdom look like prayer, reading the Bible, and church attendance. “Snacks” might look like reading Christian books, hanging out with Christian friends, or listening to Christian music or podcasts. When’s the last time you accepted Lady Wisdom’s dinner invitation? What’s one way you can accept it today?