‘Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God’ (Proverbs 30:8-9 NKJV)

A proverb and a prayer asking God to supply just the right “allotment” of wealth to avoid the extremes of both “poverty and riches.” Each condition presents its own spiritual and moral problems. The rich are tempted to be “full and deny” the God who blessed them. They forget that the Lord is both Creator and Owner of all. They become self-satisfied and smug. The poor are tempted to “steal” and to blame God for their plight, “profaning” His great Name. They forget to trust God and blame Him and others for their plight. Both poverty and riches bring their own trouble. Better to focus on the Lord who blesses, than on the blessings themselves. Trusting in the Lord to meet our needs, we are able to say along with the apostle Paul, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil.4:12-13).