Eating Humble Pie
This old expression will describe a period in most lives sooner or later. It includes the idea expressed by Paul when he said "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Solomon said a long time ago concerning those who would go from the right way, "Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." (Prov. 1:31.) We are constantly receiving the fruit of our actions. It seems most of us would learn this lesson, but most people go through life and never learn it. There are several ways it can be illustrated.
One person talks too much. He leaves impressions that lead to falsehood. It was his intention to do this all the time. He is found out by those who learn a little about his methods. Instead of making his wrong right he turns his tongue in another direction, trying to do the same thing but in a different way. Men are sometimes up in years before such catches up with them. But even then the habit has become so fixed they cannot live a life of truth. How many times this type person is forced to eat of his own way, we may never know. But like the dog he can soon turn back to it again.
Two people are of the same nature. They are avowed enemies of each other. They may go so far as to say many harmful things about each other. But time passes and the two of them decide they have a common enemy. They decide that alone they have little power, so make up their minds to unite their strength in trying to do harm to the other. In doing so they are forced to eat across the table from each other, and maybe sleep in the same bed. It must be comfortable for each to know what the other actually thinks, but they are eating their pie now while they work together in one plan. In the end much pride must be swallowed, many things remembered, and a sheep dog expression developed. Men eat of their own way.
Another person tries to live a two-sided life. He .wants to appear to be righteous, yet he feels that he must be a little mean in order to make a hit with the world. He is more interested in making a hit with the world than with Christ. So he tried to live a double life. He becomes unstable in all his ways and receives no satisfaction either from the world or his religion. How miserable he must be, eating of his own ways.
There is one way to avoid the miseries that come into our lives as a result of ungodliness, and that way is to follow Christ. A person who always tells the truth is not worried about what people will find out about him. One who knows his actions have been right is now always begging for an opportunity to explain his actions. Righteous actions need no explanation. They will not lead to harm. People who know they have done right are not looking for their picture in the writings, or words of others. When a person is constantly thinking that others refer to him when they talk or write, they either need to clean up their own lives or see a psychiatrist. Usually thy need to clean up their own lives.