Proverbs 30:7-9. 7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Again, Agur’s humility and self-awareness shine through here in this dual request. His prayer is not unlike the prayer of Jesus himself – lead us not into temptation. What temptation? The temptation of both poverty and wealth.
Despite what he said about himself in the first three verses, Agur is wise. He understands what most people don’t, that to be poor is not good, but also to be too rich is not good either. But this prayer request is about much more than his checking account. It’s about his character and it’s about his relationship with God.
Agur begins by asking that falsehood and lying be removed far from him. The word falsehood used here is the word vain or empty, as in do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Agur rightly fears spiritual deception. He can see ahead to the spiritual trappings of both poverty or riches. He knows his own heart. He knows that if he is poor he will be tempted to steal and profane the name of God by breaking one of his commandments. He also knows that if he is rich he will be tempted to deny God and say, Who is the Lord? I don’t need God, I’m rich.
In both cases he will have denied God.
The wisdom here is profound. Praying against poverty makes more sense to us in our consumeristic culture, but praying against riches? How can having more of God’s blessing be a bad thing? It can only be a bad thing if our hearts are bad, and they sure are at times aren’t they? Adam and Eve had it all in the Garden of the Lord. They literally owned the planet as a gift from God. Yet, what did they do? They denied the Giver. They asked, who is the Lord? I am, was their answer.
So what should we pray for instead of poverty or riches? Feed me with the food that is needful for me. Or, feed me with my portion. Again, this is echoed in Christ’s prayer, give us this day our daily bread. In the wilderness, God did not give his people poverty or wealth. He gave them enough bread for each day. No more, no less. They couldn’t collect extra manna and then sell it to get rich. Nor did they ever miss a meal. They had to learn to be content with whatever God, in his new morning mercies, set aside for them. That’s all that Agur wanted too. Enough for today. Contentment. The Apostle Paul spoke of this kind of contentment being found in Christ.
Philippians 4:11-13. 11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 is not about divine empowerment to do hard things. It’s about contentment in whatever situation (portion) God puts us in. A divine contentment that can only come from Christ in us as we trust his leading, his provision, his grace. This contentment from faith allows us to know our own hearts just as Agur did. It allows us to pray for neither poverty nor riches but to accept either as God ordains without denying God and without profaning God. Rather, doing all things through the strength of Christ who though he was rich, for our sakes became poor.
You: Do you connect either poverty or riches with spiritual growth?
You in Christ: How does knowing that we have Christ in us allow us to be content in all situations?
Christ in you: What attitude about wealth do you need to change?
Pray: Father, give me neither poverty nor riches, but only contentment in Christ. Amen.
To Live is Christ 