“If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it”. (Proverbs 25:16, ESV)

     In Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It, Rosalind disguises herself as a man. She attempts to tutor Orlando in how to woo a woman. The woman of Orlando’s affection is, in fact, none other than Rosalind. He fell in love with Rosalind before her ploy to tutor him. Orlando wants more than anything to have a relationship with Rosalind. To which Rosalind utters this now popular line, “Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?”

     The phrase, “too much of a good thing,” is a way of saying that the quality of something is determined by its quantity. According to the songwriter, Alan Jackson, too much of a good thing is a good thing. But is it?

     The writer of Proverbs 25:16 cites that in many instances even the best of things can produce misery if they are used too frequently or taken overabundantly. Honey is wonderful to the taste. But too much honey down one’s pallet can leave a sick taste in the gullet.

     Likewise, spending too much time doing certain activities, whether it’s watching movies, reading books, sitting on the couch, or playing golf can also have negative effects. The time spent doing those things can take time away from doing other important things, such as homework, exercise, chores, or spending time with family.

     As with most things, moderation is the key. The ancient Greeks considered the virtuous life as the middle ground between two extremes. Enjoying the good things in life requires that we apply them in reasonable amounts.

     At issue is the human will. The recovery community has a saying:
              First, the person takes a drink.
              Then the drink takes a drink.
              Finally, the drink takes the person.

     This mantra is a way of talking about the erosion of one’s will. The more of a good thing we consume can eventually consume us.

     At some point, we each must earnestly ask ourselves if we are in control of the choices we make. Has my passion become an obsession? Has too much of a good thing become a bad thing for me?