Just Enough


"O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me to never tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,'Who is the Lord?' And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name." Proverbs 30:7-9

My plate was really full the first time around. It seemed a little bit gluttonous to be holding the second plate equally as full, but it's the holidays! About halfway through, it dawned on me, there was truly no need to get that second plate. Yet, there I sat fork in hand mouth dutifully going through motions. Finally, I couldn't take anymore and gave up trying to finish the seconds. Why is "more than enough" so hard for us to resist? 

Agur, in his proverb, worked his way passed this inclination with a simple request from God. "God, please give me just enough." What a novel idea for us living in our culture of too much and give me more. The word another Biblical author used was contentment. To be satisfied with what we have is rare these days. Enough truly is enough.

What "not enough" trap have you fallen victim to lately? Not enough money, not enough time, not enough toys, not enough attention, not enough ... It's an endless roller coaster that leaves our stomach in knots. We see, we want. Hmm ... The simple life. The life with margin feels out of our reach, even mythological. It's not. Living in the wonder of Jesus' love for us frees us from the perceived need for more.  

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