When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you. – Proverbs 23:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 7, 2026): Proverbs 23

During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, mealtimes were held at fixed times. Breakfast was served in her bedroom at 9:00 am. For the Queen, breakfast was cereal poured out of a Tupperware container; she was especially fond of Special K. Lunch was at 1:00 p.m., and supper was at 8:15 p.m., although that was moved to 8:30 if the Queen Mother was attending the meal; the Queen Mother, also named Elizabeth, was notoriously late for meals.

At my house, we say grace. It is probably an unusual practice for those not accustomed to that tradition, but we gather at the table and wait until the prayer is offered in thanks for the meal before we begin to eat. If you were dining with the Queen, I am not sure a prayer of thanks would be provided for the meal, but the sign that the meal could begin was when the Queen began to eat. No one started to eat before the Queen. And when the Queen returned her cutlery to the “finished position,” everyone was finished. It didn’t matter if there was still food on your plate; you did not continue to eat after the Queen had announced with her cutlery that she was done. When her cutlery was placed in the appropriate position, you followed her lead and did the same with yours. If you were going to eat with the Queen, these were the hard and fast rules. I sought to determine whether King Charles III had similar guidelines, but was unable to find anyone willing to share that information.

Proverbs says that when you sit down with a ruler, you need to understand what is being placed before you. That means understanding what is being served. This proverb was one that Daniel understood well. As the young Israelite found himself in Babylon with his friends, he looked at the meal and understood that the meat had been offered to false gods. As a result, Daniel knew that he and his friends could not eat the meal. It was the reason why Daniel, in the first chapter of the Book that bears his name, sought an alternate meal. He understood what had been placed before him.

But noting well what has been placed before you also indicates understanding the rules. You don’t want to be caught eating before the appropriate time or continuing to eat after the meal is considered to be finished. You also wanted to be on time. As far as I know, the only tardiness that was allowed at the Queen’s table was from the Queen’s mom. She might have been permitted to be late, but that forgiveness was extended only to her. For everyone else, 8:15 meant 8:15, not 8:16.

This proverb offers sound advice when we meet with rulers and when we are guests at any meal we attend.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Proverbs 24