4 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Proverbs 30:8-9 (CSB): “… Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
There have been times when I have craved the two extremes of the economic spectrum.
On occasion, particularly when there is more month at the end of the money, I have wished that I had a lot of money in the bank. I suspected that if I had a lot of money, my worries would dissipate (those who are wealthy are laughing at the foolishness of my last statement).
On occasion, particularly when life’s stresses became overwhelming, I have wished that I could drastically simplify my life. While I am a convictional Baptist, I have sometimes envied the simplicity of the lives of those who have lived in a monastery and taken a vow of poverty. Their life seems so unencumbered by the stresses of life that are brought about by wealth and its pursuit (I suspect that there would be laughter coming from this side of the spectrum as well).
When we read the wise sayings of Agur (Proverbs 30:1), we hear him say that he desired neither riches nor poverty. And he gave us his reasons.
Proverbs 30:8-9 (CSB): “… Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.”
Financial extremes are dangerous, especially given our hearts that are prone to sin. An abundance of wealth may cause us to become self-sufficient and fail to recognize our dependence on God. Poverty could cause us to become angry or fearful with our inability to meet our most basic needs, so that we justify “stealing from the rich to give to the poor” (a.k.a. us) and shame God’s name.
We shouldn’t compare our wealth to others. In America, we have it so good. Most Americans have significantly more than the majority of people in the rest of the world. One article’s title says it all: “The Poorest 20% of Americans Are Richer on Average Than Most European Nations”
However, we often feel like we don’t have much because we compare our resources and income to those around us. Instead, we should ask ourselves, “Do I have enough to meet my most basic needs?” If the answer is “yes,” we should be satisfied.
Is it wrong to strive for more? Not necessarily. But there are “heart” dangers involved. Therefore, be cautious about your motivation for striving for more, and recognize that you will encounter various temptations along the way.
Hebrews 13:5 (CSB): “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 (CSB): “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.”
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you be satisfied with what you have.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into Proverbs 30:8, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“What is the meaning of ‘give me neither poverty nor riches’ (Proverbs 30:8)?”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)
Matt’s Musings 