My favorite books of the Bible have always been Proverbs and James. Mainly because my learning style never required story problems or parables, just cold hard facts and truths. These two books rise to the top for me for their practicality alone. I love how they're full of "do this" and "don't do that"s. It makes figuring out right from wrong a no-brainer and so they are the two books I turn to the most often when biblical joy-reading.
One of my favorite passages is found near the end of Proverbs, right before the famous 31st chapter.
"Two things I ask of You, do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, that I may not be full and deny You and say, 'Who is the Lord'; or that I not be in want and steal and profane the name of my God." Proverbs 30:7-9 (NASB)
The thirtieth chapter of Proverbs was written by a man named Agur, who describes himself this way in verses 2-3, "Surely I am more stupid than any man... neither have I learned wisdom."
I love how a man with this self-description was entrusted to pen a chapter in the ultimate book of wisdom. A major running theme throughout God's Word is that you don't have to be a theological genius to understand or obey It.
The simple idea of rejecting lies and the struggles of money and asking God to protect you from outside forces in these areas is the epitome of "simple wisdom." I bet Agur was a very contented man who led a very joyful life.
I jotted this passage down on a note card over a decade ago when I was in a horrible job situation and taped it to my mirror. It became a daily prayer of mine for many years. Quickly after discovering this prayer (with my eyes and heart) I found myself miraculously in a much better workplace, not to mention mindset. I was feeling like Agur!
Well, I let this passage slide from my forethoughts over the following years. I rotated different passages on my mirror... sometimes forgetting about them altogether so they became more like decorative touches than inspiration and instruction. And have rediscovered it now at a time when I find myself, once again, looking for good work. Only this time in a very bad job market.
In the good ol' days it took 2-3 weeks to find a job when just casually looking. I'm going on five months now of joblessness and wish I would have had the attitude of Agur earlier on in the process.
When you're desperate and grasping, you're not often thinking in proportion. You're not looking for your "portion" of money, but all the money in the world. You become obsessed with being set for life instead of being set for now because, what if the next job's bottom falls out? What if you only can find temporary work? What if this all happens again, taking even longer to recover next time? Desperation hinders wisdom and, more often than naught, common sense even.
Truth be told, I have been given my portion. For every day of the five months I've been unemployed. I have yet to ask for loans or charity and my portion mathematically should satisfy me for the coming few months, if need be. I've been eating steadily, have a roof over my head, a car to get to job interviews in and have been blessed not to have gotten sick or injured while not medically insured. I've had enough to make ends meet. How long this will last shouldn't be of concern because, as Christ instructed, "Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) And today, July 5, 2012 is cared for.
Well, I guess I found the answer to my Publisher's Clearinghouse prayers, since in my original prayers for portion I forgot to mention a heaping one!
