7 Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and [c]lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.11 There is a [d]kind of man who curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [e]kind who is pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a [f]kind—oh how lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a [g]kind of man whose teeth are like swords
And his jaw teeth like knives,
To devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.
These first few verses show an attitude of contentment that I think we all could learn from. Few of us would say, “Just give me the food that is my portion.” In other words, don’t give me more than I need, lest I forget God and become so arrogant as to say, “Who is God?” In reality, most of us in America have more than we need, even if it isn’t much.
There is also the flip side of Agur’s prayer, “don’t let me be in want, lest I be tempted to steal, and thus bring dishonor to God.” And certainly, there are many also in our country, and around the world, that have less than they need. Whatever the cause, or whatever you might blame it on, God allows both ends of he spectrum, plenty and need.
Why would God do such a thing? I can’t speak for everyone, but in the years where it seemed there was never enough money to last through the month, I wonder, “Could we have done better? Was there really not enough?” I suspect the answers are yes and no. God was working on us, trying to teach us how to be wise stewards of His resources.
We finally figured it out (well, we’re still learning, but getting better), and I can say the “plenty” is not without trials. Why does God give us more? It is for similar reasons as the need: to test us, and to shape us. If we are not content, we could fall into one of the myriad pitfalls that Agur lists in 10-14.
We might slander someone, hoping to gain from their disadvantage. We might forget to be thankful for our parents, or neglect them in their need. We might be tempted, as Agur feared, to become proud, to think we are “pure” and have need of nothing, while in reality our hearts are darkened with filth. Worst of all, a lack of contentment could cause us to pillage the very people who need us most, the poor and afflicted.
So, if you find yourself in need, look to God. Don’t be afraid to ask Him for provision. Maybe He won’t just dump it in your lap, indeed I would be surprised by that. Yet He is faithful and will see that you have what you need. Learn to be a wise steward of whatever He grants you. If you then find yourself with a little extra, be generous, and let God’s heart guide you. Don’t think you’ve got it all figure out. I don’t, and neither do you, but God does. Call on Him daily to lead and guide you, to help you avoid the pitfalls along the way, and walk hand in hand with the one who knows just what you need.