“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
I love asking my grandkids what they want for their birthday or Christmas. Their eyes light up but they also get very serious. It probably make me certifiable but I think I would love being a mall Santa around the holidays. When the lottery has approached a billion dollars I have fantasized with friends what we would do with that much money. There is always a huge foundation in the plans for two reasons: 1. To further kingdom issues and 2. To kind of bribe God with our good intentions in case He is trying to decide who wins and this gives a little edge to us. Seriously, the writer of this chapter for whatever reason decided to ask God for two things on His journey prior to eternity. Basically he asked God for honesty and a comfortable middle class income. Not my list if I find the proverbial genie in a bottle. However, this is a brilliant pair of requests. He is asking that before he dies, God will create in him a clean heart, a heart of integrity. Make him a man of his word. Let his yes mean yes and his no mean no. I don’t know about you but I find it incredibly refreshing to deal with men and women who only know how to speak the truth and live an honest life. The next one I struggle with a bit. I too don’t want poverty but a bit more than “enough” would be ok. Here the writer is connecting this request to the first. In poverty the temptation to lie or deceive to improve one’s financial state or to deceive to protect wealth are his concerns. Today live an honest life. #BeTheEdgd
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 NIV