The Rolex Response

(Proverbs 23:3 KJV)  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

You have heard that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  I would assume that the same thing could be said about “dainties” (delicacies NASB) (4303).  To be honest I don’t have a lot of trouble resisting the call of escargot.  I tried it once out of curiosity.  It was not disgusting.  It was also not as good as taco flavored Doritoes.  Naturally that is only my coarse, Philistine opinion.  I have never even been tempted with caviar or oysters on the half shell. 

So what is the real danger here?  It is conforming to the values and expectations of the trend setting class.  Why do people want a Rolex watch?  It is because it tells time more accurately?  Maybe it does, but not any better than my Timex for my uses.  People want a Rolex so people will ask, “Is that a Rolex?”  The Rolex mentality exists no matter what the value of the fixation.  I remember in middle school being asked, “Is that a Pro Club?”  You might have no idea what that is.  You might not know the difference between a Pro Club and a Shaka.  It was a big deal in middle school.

So?  Our priorities and values are to be set by our God and not by our contemporaries.  It is a constant temptation to look at your neighbor’s riding lawn mower and feel like you are less of a person because you don’t have one.  Beware of the Rolex Response.