One of my favorite passages is a prayer and found in Proverbs 30:7-9 – “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; 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 steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
Do you hear the Lord’s prayer in these words?
Jesus taught we should pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The wise man realizes that he can never accomplish righteousness on his own, and he will never be equal to making himself acceptable to God. He must have the Lord’s help and grace and he must depend on the Lord to provide. Because our holiness is God’s desire too, He is faithful to make it so. Paul will say as much in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
Then Jesus taught we should be careful what we pray for, asking for bread (not a banquet table), and just enough for a day. The wise man reveals why: too little and one might dishonor God. Too much and one might think he doesn’t need God.
Dependence and balance. That’s the prayer of the wise man. It should be ours too.