Living in the Neither

(Pro 30:8 KJV)  Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Most of Proverbs is written in such a way that each verse in the English Bible is a stand alone thought.  This is one of the exceptions.  You really need to read this in the context of the next verse.  For those who don’t have a Bible handy the next verse reads,

(Pro 30:9 KJV)  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.

The big question for these two verses is “How much is enough?”  If we are walking with Jesus we want “neither” (408) extreme in life.  We want enough to keep us sharp but not enough to drag us down.

This can be active choices such as how much to buy when there is a big sale.  It can be passive in the sense of not responding to the abuse of others.  The middle ground is always the hardest.  Moderation is the real challenge.

So?  Start with prayer and an attempt to understand what the Word teaches about the decision you are faced with.  Then live with what you decide.  May you live in the Neither.