Give Me Neither Poverty Nor Riches

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"Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God" (Proverbs 30:8-9).

There is a place of provision that suits us. A place where we have neither too much, nor too little. But this place is not where many want to live. Instead we aspire to accumulating such a sizeable increase that we no longer have to worry about anything.

It's called a nest egg.

But we are not birds; we are people. Specifically, we are the people of God. The sheep of His pasture. Can we not trust Him to care for us? Must we be always on the hunt for more and more and more? And does this hunt so occupy our thoughts that it causes us to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to those around us who need what we have stored up for ourselves?

Isn't there something wrong with that?

And what will you do when you finally settle down into your nest egg and only then discover that it's not enough. Not only that, but that you've missed out on a life of extraordinary blessing and fulfillment?

Wouldn't you rather walk in unbroken friendship with Jesus, casting your cares upon Him and watching daily as He proves Himself to you over and over again? Wouldn't you rather be rich in faith, and radiant in generosity? Wouldn't you want your life to bring honor to His name by being a blessing to others around you?

Then let the Lord lead you into a balanced life, where daily bread sustains you beyond belief. He is the Lord -- and this is what He will do for you.

Fear God, not man. Trust God, not riches. Serve God, not self.
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