Proverbs 30:1-16: a reflection

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: 2“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding. 3I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know? 5“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar. 7“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die. 8Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. 10“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty. 11There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother. 12There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up. 14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men. 15“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’: 16Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’

Among Agur's sayings is a prayer of unusual wisdom, asking not for riches nor even to escape poverty, but for just enough. Give me neither poverty nor riches, he prays; feed me with the food that is needful for me. And he gives his reasons: lest I be full, deny you, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Agur sees the spiritual dangers in both extremes: riches can make us forget God, and poverty can tempt us to wrong; and so he asks for what is needful, content with enough, neither the abundance that breeds forgetfulness nor the want that breeds temptation.

Notice the wisdom of Agur's prayer: for neither poverty nor riches, but enough. He does not ask for abundance, recognizing that riches can make us self-sufficient and forgetful of God; nor does he ask merely to escape poverty, but recognizes that want too can tempt us to wrong. He asks for what is needful, for just enough, content with sufficiency. His prayer reflects a contentment with enough, a recognition that both excess and want carry spiritual dangers, and that the food needful for us is a safer portion than either abundance or poverty. He seeks not more, but enough, content with what is needful and mindful of the dangers of the extremes.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is wisdom in seeking not more, but enough, content with what is needful. We often crave abundance, more than we need, or fear only poverty; but Agur prayed for neither poverty nor riches, seeing the spiritual dangers in both and seeking contentment with enough. There is wisdom in being content with what is needful, mindful that excess can breed forgetfulness of God and want can breed temptation. Do not crave abundance beyond your need, nor fear only poverty; seek contentment with enough, with the food needful for you, as Agur prayed for neither poverty nor riches. Seek contentment with what is needful, neither craving abundance nor fearing only poverty, as Agur prayed for neither poverty nor riches but for the food needful for him; for there is wisdom in being content with enough, mindful that riches can make us forget God and want can tempt us to wrong, and the sufficient portion is often safer than either extreme.

Lord, among Agur's sayings is a prayer of unusual wisdom, asking not for riches nor even to escape poverty, but for just enough. Give me neither poverty nor riches, he prays; feed me with the food that is needful for me. And he gives his reasons: lest I be full, deny you, and say, who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Agur sees the spiritual dangers in both extremes: riches can make us forget you, and poverty can tempt us to wrong; and so he asks for what is needful, content with enough. Show me the wisdom of Agur's prayer: for neither poverty nor riches, but enough. He does not ask for abundance, recognizing that riches can make us self-sufficient and forgetful of you; nor does he ask merely to escape poverty, but recognizes that want too can tempt us to wrong. He asks for what is needful, for just enough. His prayer reflects a contentment with enough, a recognition that both excess and want carry spiritual dangers. He seeks not more, but enough. Take that to my heart, for there is wisdom in seeking not more, but enough, content with what is needful. I often crave abundance, more than I need, or fear only poverty; but Agur prayed for neither poverty nor riches, seeing the spiritual dangers in both. There is wisdom in being content with what is needful, mindful that excess can breed forgetfulness of you and want can breed temptation. Keep me from craving abundance beyond my need, nor fearing only poverty; help me seek contentment with enough, Lord, with the food needful for me, as Agur prayed for neither poverty nor riches.