“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 steel and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:8-9 NIV)
This passage could be described as the blessing of just enough. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like just enough. I prefer abundance. More than enough. I like fully funded emergency funds and a buffer in the bottom of the checking account. I would rather have a stocked fridge and a packed-out pantry. A global pandemic only further contributed to this preference; it’s tough to know when we might find particular provisions again.
Yet God; in His sovereign nature knows our proclivities. He knows that when we have too much we exert our independence. We strive to be gods ourselves. Consider Adam and Eve in the garden of abundance: the one thing set off limits perturbed them to a point of trespass.
Too little, and we are tempted to compromise God’s law for our own fulfillment. We may beg, borrow and steal, plummeting ourselves into financial and spiritual ruin.
Just enough keeps us honest: humble enough to realize our limitations and grateful enough to give thanks.
We want more than enough. We want comfort and ease. But God has a far greater goal: worship and reliance. He rightly deserves both. Just enough is a blessing in disguise.
“Give us today our daily bread…” (Matthew 6:11 NIV)
Lord, today we see just enough in a whole new light. Thank You for loving us enough to keep us subject to You: a good and sovereign King. We are grateful for Your ongoing, day by day provision, may we continue to depend upon You daily. Amen.