Proverbs - Consider the Answer to Your Prayers

Proverbs 30:7-9

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with food convenient for me:

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.

This is a precious prayer of a servant of God.  He is asking the Lord to remove from him empty things and lies.  He doesn’t want his mind filled with lies nor his life filled with empty pursuits.  He doesn’t want to be a person who has his identity in his financial status.  He is hoping for middle ground that would lead him to be content and protect him from sinning against the Lord.  When we pray and ask the Lord for things how many times do we consider what would produce maturity in us?  It would be a healthy take on our prayer time to bring different answers up before Him, considering what sorts of temptations they might bring into our lives.  The prudent man will foresee evil and hide himself

Proverbs - Poverty Should Evoke Compassion

Proverbs 29:7

The righteous considereth the cause of the poor:

 but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

It is quite easy to focus only on our needs.  As we develop more and more into the likeness of Christ, we should find ourselves concerned and investigative into the needs of the poor.  Whether it is their own fault or not, human need is meant to trigger in us compassion.  The Lord is full of compassion and rich in mercy.  He pities us in our affliction and sends His help.  He has chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith.  Lord, help us be sensitive to the needs of others and if they lack something that we can fill, show us.