In our Sunday morning Bible study we have been reading and discussing the book of Proverbs. This week we read Proverbs 30:7-8 which stuck a cord with me.

Notice what the writer says, “O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

I wonder if you have ever prayed, “Lord, give me just enough.” Probably not many of us have. Most folks I have spoken with admit to normally asking for a list of things of some kind, whether it is health or wealth doesn’t matter. We generally want more than just enough; we want our cup to overflow with God’s blessings.

I’m reminded of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray and he used the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Would that be enough for you? Many of those in the world are “subsistence farmers,” who barely grow enough food to survive from day to day, would that be enough for us? Many of those in our world do not have the barest of essentials such as a warm place to sleep or clean water to drink. They sleep on the ground and drink polluted water when they can get it. Would that be enough for you?

Maybe the question is, “When is enough… enough?” Many years ago, the multi-millionaire, Rockefeller was asked one time how much money was enough money… his reply was, “Just one dollar more.” Could it be that one of the problems with our society here in America is that we have too much and don’t really understand when enough is enough?

The writer of Proverbs continued in verse 8b-9, “Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.” (Why), “For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”

Let me ask you: Why do you want the education you are striving for? Why do you want the better job? Why do you want to be successful in whatever your endeavor might be? Is it so that you will have a flasher car or a bigger house? Is that your concept of “success”?

Each of us need to really think about where God fits into our plans for those things? How do they affect your relationship to our God and King? How do will they affect your service to the kingdom of God?

Sadly, I’ve seen way too many folks who are rich, (maybe they don’t consider themselves rich… “one dollar more” thinking), but have no relationship with God. In Mark 10:23 “Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!’”

It is really up to you to answer the question, but “When is enough … enough?” I pray that you are not one the writer of Proverbs speaks of when he writes, “For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”