The Wisdom of Having Enough
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
During one of my morning meditations, I came across an interesting thought in Proverbs 30:7–9. The passage reads almost like a breath prayer. Agur asks God for two things: to keep falsehood far from him and to give him neither poverty nor great wealth, but only the food and resources he needs.
Agur understands the spiritual dangers found at both extremes. If he becomes poor, he may be tempted to steal and dishonor God. If he becomes wealthy, he may become self-sufficient and ask, “Who is the Lord?”
His prayer is not for abundance but for balance, a life in which his needs are met and his dependence upon God remains clear. This message seems especially relevant today.
We often hear people say, “I want to make a billion dollars,” without first considering what meaningful or worthwhile work they will do to earn it. They may not think of the personal scrifices their families will suffer while they pursue this dream.
The goal becomes accumulating money rather than performing useful work with excellence, integrity, and wholehearted effort. Instead of asking how we can serve others, we may be tempted to look for shortcuts or ways to profit at someone else’s expense.
Our culture also encourages us to compare ourselves with others and become resentful of their achievements. Politicians sometimes intensify this resentment by arguing that wealthy people are not paying their “fair share.”
But what exactly is a fair share, is it 10 percent, 20 percent, 50 percent, or even 100 percent? The phrase is frequently used without clearly defining what fairness means.
Agur offers a different perspective.
He suggests that neither poverty nor wealth guarantees contentment. Poverty may bring desperation and temptation, while wealth can produce pride, self-reliance, and forgetfulness of God.
I believe money should not be life’s primary goal. Instead, it is one imperfect measure of how much society is willing to pay for the service, skill, or product a person provides.
This does not mean that people who operate shelters, lead youth programs, care for family members, or serve their communities are less valuable. Their work may simply address needs that the marketplace does not reward financially.
Although they may experience financial concerns, they can still possess purpose, satisfaction, and happiness. Great wealth also creates its own difficulties. Wealthy families may struggle with unmotivated children, unrealized potential, entitlement, jealousy, and disputes over inheritances.
Money can solve many practical problems, but it cannot guarantee peace, strong relationships, personal purpose, or faith. Agur’s words remain as relevant today as they were centuries before Christ.
Rather than making wealth the central goal of life, we should seek meaningful work, appreciate having enough, and use our abilities well. We should put our whole heart into whatever we are called to do and perform our work with honesty and excellence—as though we were doing it for God.
Comments