Just Enough.

In my life, there have been times when I’ve had plenty and others that I’ve been penniless. Through both kinds of seasons and all of the in-betweens, I’ve come to realize a most powerful, freeing prayer in Scripture.

Proverbs 30:7-9, which reads:

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 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.

See that second one? Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me. Not more, not less. Just enough.

Too many times in life, our thinking (worrying?) might extend beyond tomorrow into months in advance.

When we learn to pray in Luke 11:3, we ask for daily bread, not an annual supply.

Just Enough.

Note: For more reading on this, I highly recommend Will Davis‘ book, Enough: Finding More by Living With Less. A humbling and freeing read.

I get afraid sometimes. Of what others might do. To me.

Part of that fear is remembering the things that have been done to me in the past. And it magnifies the fear. A big lurking shadow grows larger the longer I consider it.

And the fear, if I let it fester and grow, will slow me down to a full stop. It’s a trap, set by the enemy. When fear starts creeping in, I do my best to put all my focus and trust in God.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. – Prov 29:25

It’s not about proving myself. To me, rather than prove I have strength to overcome, I’d rather prove God’s strength and power.

Hey, there can’t be a shadow without a Light (Psa 23:4), right?

Besides all that, there are these:

• The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? – Psa 118:6
• If God be for us, who can be against us? – Rom 8:31
• The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. – Heb 13:6

The name of the Lord. A Strong Tower of Safety.

Fear?  Don’t give in. It’s a trap. And – It’s Only a Shadow

Confidence or Conceit?

Whenever I’ve thought too highly of myself, I’ve been proven wrong by humbling circumstances.

Rather than a ‘Look what I can do’ attitude (Isa 5:21), things work out better when I carry on with the belief that ‘I can do all things through Christ.’ (Php 4:13).

When it’s going good – It’s not because of me, it’s because of Him.

If I find myself getting offended (Psa 119:165), I soon realize I’m being filled with my own pride.

In Prov 28:11, we read:

The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

Are we filled with confidence or conceit?

Even if I get a pat on the back (from someone else, not myself), I try to reflect the credit up (so as not to reject it altogether).

Through Jesus, I can be securely confident. On my own accord, I am foolishly conceited.

Which would you prefer? Would you tell your dear friend the truth – or hope someone else does it?

It could be as simple as a zipper falling or as complex as a bad behavior pattern. Would you do the telling?

If you don’t tell them, do you really love them?

Open rebuke is better than secret love. (Prov 27:5)

Matthew Henry’s commentary of this passage reads:

The physician’s care is to cure the patient’s disease, not to please his palate

So it goes with love. Reveal, rather than conceal, truths to those you love.

On the other side, receive such words from one who loves you, knowing the intent. I wish I would’ve in so many cases of loving rebuke. While it may not have seemed so then, I am grateful to those who loved me so much to tell me the truth.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Prov 27:6)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend. With loving intent and risk, telling truths with love.

We live in such a time that outrage is a sport of sorts. There seems to be an addiction, almost like outrage porn.

• Someone cuts you off in traffic going way too fast. Now you’re upset! You follow them … to the Emergency Room entrance. They are running into the hospital with their child.
• Someone looks in your direction from across the street and makes weird faces and gestures with their hand. You yell at them from your side, “What’s your problem?” They don’t hear you. They are too busy trying to get the bee off of them without spilling their latte.
• Someone manipulates a headline or photoshops an image and the buzz feeds the finger-pointers and meme mongrels.

Proverbs 25:8 warns us to slow things down:

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

Often, we enter a battle without knowing the grounds or even what the battle is about. The battle has become the game. Outrage the addiction. Facebook the needle?

Slow down. Keep your wood off the fire (Prov 26:20). Don’t be in a hurry to battle.

There might not be one worth fighting.

If you do find a battle, settle it amicably and privately (Prov 25:9).

As I was checking out at the grocery store, my eye got caught and lust practically took over.

A Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

For me, these little goodies are not profitable. Money I shouldn’t spend. Sugar I shouldn’t deposit. Habits quicker getting into than out.  Plus, my wife, being allergic to chocolate, probably shouldn’t kiss lips which have given such entry.

For me, even thinking of a candy is foolish. For me. Maybe not for you. We might each have our own foolish thoughts.

And foolish thoughts lead to foolish deeds. That’s probably why Prov 24:9 tells me:

The thought of foolishness is sin

Also, in 2Cor 1:5, I am told to throw away such imaginative thoughts, bringing into captivity every thought for Christ’s sake.

Foolish thoughts, when given their course, lead to foolish deeds.

In plain, “Pthu to Sin!” and away with foolish thoughts.

What are you willing to give up?

In Prov 23:23, the parameters of trading for truth are clear transactionally: Give up to get it; once gotten, don’t give it up.

Before realizing salvation’s free gift, I was told I should be willing to give up the music I listened to most. I thought the guy was nuts. First, because I invested a lot in the music, both time and money. Second, because the music I was listening to at the time was a lot of Dean Martin, Buddy Greco, Steve Lawrence type music. Not too noisy or too nasty.

Upon salvation, my desire and focus was thirsty for hymns and gospel. I was willing to trade my time and music for this new (to me) music and invest time to learn the songs. I was willing, indeed yearning, to dive in and study the Bible and learn from others. Good trade.

I was willing to give up everything. Not for salvation, but because of salvation.

Sadly, there have been times in life where I’ve traded it back. Letting go of truths to follow folly. Oops. Bad trade.

Again, it’s made clear in Prov 23:23

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Like a kid and their security blanket, hang on to Truth for life. Don’t give it up for nothing. Not time, money, interests, reputation.