Wednesday, September 30, 2026 · Chapter 30
Neither Broke Nor Loaded, Just Fed
Agur asks God for one plain thing before he dies: not rich, not poor — just fed. He’s honest that both extremes have a hook in them that can pull a man clean away from God.
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
Proverbs 30:7
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Proverbs 30:8
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Proverbs 30:9
IThe Hebrew, opened up
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an allotted portion, a fixed share — the amount set for you, no more, no less
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to steal, to take by stealth — “and I steal”
Agur isn’t asking for a stockpile. He’s asking for his choq — his set ration, the bread that’s actually his to eat today. That’s a request for daily enough, not a lifetime of margin. Agur names his own future sin before it happens — if he gets starved down to poor, he can picture himself becoming a thief. He’s not pointing fingers at other people. He’s asking God to keep him out of the spot where he’d do it himself.
IIWhat this actually means
Agur isn’t asking to be poor for humility points, and he isn’t asking to be rich for security. He asks for enough — because he’s honest that too much makes him cocky (“Who is the LORD?”) and too little makes him a thief. He’s not smarter or holier than money can bend, and neither are you. The ask isn’t “make me strong enough to handle either extreme.” It’s “keep me out of the extremes in the first place.”
IIIObey it today
When you check your bank balance today, don’t lead with “how do I get more” — lead with “am I actually short, or just wanting more.” If you’re not short, say thanks instead of complaining.
If money’s tight this week, before you cut a corner that isn’t yours to cut — a return you shouldn’t file, an invoice you shouldn’t pad — stop and ask one real person for help instead. That’s the “remove me from the spot” move, not gutting it out alone.
When a client, a paycheck, or a deal makes you feel flush today, say one sentence out loud thanking God for it before you spend a dime of it. That kills the “who is the LORD” reflex before it starts.
PrayerGod, keep me from both the pride of having plenty and the panic of having none — just give me today’s portion and help me actually be content with it.
Keep this in your chest
“Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me.”
Proverbs 30:7-9