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Give me neither poverty nor riches;/Feed me with the food that is needful for me;/Lest 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.
Agur's pointed words work as a prayer for a life of balance. That he focuses in on the pocketbook (poverty and riches) only makes more vivid the goal, for there is hardly an area in our lives where balance is more easily detected--or neglected.
A lack of healthy balance evidently offends our God. This is because our Creator loves us deeply and does not want us to be so consumed with scraping by that we raise a fist at Him, or so content with stuff that we forget Him. And it is more than that God might be hurt by our attitude. Because of His great love He knows that there is a place of rest and peace that can be attained, indeed that He wants us to attain. Balance brings that about.
How balanced are you? A look at your credit card statement may provide a glimpse at the answer. So too, a look at your humble abode. A firm question to a trusted friend about what he or she observes in your life may also prove helpful. An embittered spouse or frustrated companion may well tell you that you are living in the extremes of want or plenty.
But don't limit your inquiry to financial things. Think about your time. How do you spend it? And think about your perspective on people. Do you have a balanced view of those around you--extending a healthy combination of grace and mercy? Balance in life is not limited to one or two key areas. It should permeate you whole being. Does it? And if it does not, what are you going to do about it? Perhaps the following prayer will prove helpful to you:
"Father God . . . 'balance' is a precious gift freeing me from being caught in the tangled web of unnecessary extremes. It allows me peace, and it empowers me to enter into the kind of rest you desire for your children. Fill me with the Holy Spirit, Father God, that I would embrace a balanced view of all the areas of my life. And when this seems too daunting a task, help me to know that you are able to see this through for me.
"Help me, Father God, to begin dealing with __________. Reveal to me what to do about __________. The needful thing, Father God, is that I let you have your way. Amen."
By the way . . . with the Lord's help you fill in the blanks. And then let Him show you the better way.
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In a world where most live in the extremes, there is a picture of balance that is at once captivating and comforting. Attributed to a little known man named Agur, Son of Jakeh, it is highlighted in Proverbs 30:8-9. Read it carefully:
