Do you dream of being rich—really, really rich? Who doesn’t want a limousine and a mansion and a cook and a maid? Wouldn’t the best part of life be to live in an awesome house with people who clean your room and make your food and drive you places?
A smart man named Agur, who lived about three thousand years ago, knew that being rich maybe wasn’t the best idea in the world. In Proverbs 30:8, he wrote, “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
Okay, first, don’t we all understand the part where he prays, “God, please don’t let me be poor”? Agur didn’t want to break the Seventh Commandment and dishonor God. That we can all understand. I bet you pray that too.
Yet Agur also prayed not to be rich. That doesn’t make sense. Why would he pray for only exactly what he needs each day? Well, he has a pretty good reason for that too: “Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’” (verse 9 NIV).
Having too much can distract you, and you forget to keep God at the center of your life. You start to think you have earned it or deserved it and forget that every single thing you have comes from God.
Dear God, please help me tell the truth. Don’t make me too poor; don’t make me too rich. Give me only what I need so I remember that everything I have is a gift from you. Amen.
