Is less really better?

Oh boy, this is going to be hard. This morning I read the chapter "Less is More" and am having a hard time believing it! I do agree with the statement that a true woman of moderation is moderate in everything except for love for God and others. Otherwise "too much" is harmful to us.

There were a few passages listed in which "too much" of something was the topic.

Proverbs 20:19 - too much gossip.

• I may not gossip, but I do like to talk. I need to listen more to others instead of sitting behind thinking that I have something important to say.

Proverbs 23:20 - too much eating and drinking.

• I don't drink too much, but the eating too much...well, I'm not doing this study for nothing.

Proverbs 25:16 - too much honey (too much sweets, perhaps?).

• If the idea behind this is too much sweets will make you sick, well that's me, except for the sick part. Well, maybe not physically sick, but spiritually sick if that is what I turn to.

Proverbs 25:17 - too much visiting others (neighbor). I don't totally understand this one.

• The only thing I may offer about this is that you just don't want to wear out your welcome anywhere. I have a family and I need to be committed to it.

Proverbs 25:27 - too much honey and seeking your own glory and honor.

• I struggle a bit, I mean a lot with the latter of these. I hate being the center of attention, but I very much like the fact that someone might think highly of me based on something that I did or said or whatever. Ugh.

Proverbs 30:8-9 - having too much "richness" or too much "poorness."

• We are Americans. We have too much "richness" period. Sure we all have different levels of richness, so I could say that when compared to other Americans, because I don't have any excess, I am poor. But the fact of the matter is that I am rich. The idea with this being bad is that if I am rich, I may start to think that I don't need God. My attention is diverted. That seems to be a problem for many of us.
  

It's interesting to me that these are things that God specifically calls out as things not to do or of people we should avoid that are like this. That means that God is calling for people to avoid me since I am some of the above. That is a sad truth.

Moderate all things but love for God and others. That is my desire, among others, for me and you guys,Sam and Erin.

• God, You say in Your Word that if I open wide my mouth You will fill it. I thank You for Your promises. Thank You for exposing my doubt, but please help me to come to replace that doubt with confidence in You and hope for my future in my sins of overindulging in life and underindulging in You. Forgive me of that and help me to be different. I need to know that You will carry me through this, even if I get scraped up along the way. It is important to me as I know it is important to You. I don't want to want things. I want to want You, and in wanting You, I must start practicing the concept of "Less is More."