#content
- Pastor Jim White
- Aug 7, 2017
- 2 min read
"Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die: Remove from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full and deny you, and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God."
(Proverbs 30:7-9)
My eating habits have changed a bit over the years. When I was younger, I could eat whatever I wanted (#metabolism). In college, I ate what I could afford (#ramen). When our kids were young, we ate whatever was quick (#mac-n-cheese #hotdogs #cannedveggies). And in recent years, Jody has been wanting us to eat more healthy, so I've been obliging (#freshveggies #lessrice).
I've also noticed my food choices have changed since restaurants and fast-food places have been posting the calorie counts (#you'vegottobekiddingme). There's a difference between things I may WANT vs. things that I NEED (or definitely don't need!).
Maybe that's why Proverbs 30:8 hit so close to home today: "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need..." What is it that I truly NEED, Lord? What "foods" in my life should I be seeking?
The writer immediately mentions wealth. Money, indeed, makes the world go round... but it's not the end-all and be-all of existence (despite our fantasies and daydreams). Who hasn't dreamed of winning the lottery and having a large influx of cash-on-hand? And yet, we rarely contemplate the challenges that come with a large influx of cash-on-hand (need for security, family & "friends" begging for money, investments, etc.).
And what about the spiritual effects of suddenly getting "everything we've ever wanted"? How would it impact our trust and reliance on God?
Maybe money isn't the "food" we desire. Maybe it's fame & recognition... or love & sex... or security... or travel... or a dream job... or NO JOB!? We humans are very good at fantasizing about things we don't have. It may very well be that our BEST PRAYER is "feed me with the food that I need"... not necessarily the food that I want. #content
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