Proverbs 30:8-9
When I have visited Europe, especially France, I have been struck by how the residents shop for groceries more frequently than we do in the United States. Americans tend to stock up during weekly or even monthly grocery trips, but the French tend to buy daily. This is because of the desire for fresh products, small spaces with small refrigerators, the social aspects of shopping, and the habit of bringing home the daily baguette. The French love their fresh bread!
My mindset is so different in so many ways. I want to have a big, full refrigerator, both literally and figuratively. I'm at a point in life where I'm examining the monthly inflow and outflow of money, wondering if the nest egg will be sufficient in the long run. I want to stock my pantry, when perhaps I should be focusing on the daily baguette.
So, I felt both convicted and freed when I recently encountered Proverbs 30:8-9 (NIV).
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.
Of course! My focus should be on my daily bread, having just enough, and not worrying if my storage is brimming and overflowing.
This attitude is not solely undertaken to trust God more deeply, though that is a worthy purpose. It also serves to honor the Lord. If I have too much, I may disregard God and my need for God. If I have too little, I may panic and fall away from God into sinful ways in order to save myself, when Jesus has more in mind for me.
Instead, we should pray for and be satisfied with just enough, so that we increase our faith and maintain consistency in honoring God.
Surely most of us would feel comfortable with big bank accounts and plenty of security. But Jesus calls us out of our comfort zones and into his trust zones, where we grow our faith by relying on him and serving his purposes. How specifically do we do this? Find out in my latest book, "From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone: How Jesus Urges Us to Take Leaps of Faith for His Kingdom." It's available now at Store.CecilTaylorMinistries.com and at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.