A few evenings ago, I stopped at a Chipotle located near a major hospital in a lower-income area of my city. As is often the case, there was a man in the parking lot asking for spare change. What distinguished him from the dozens of others I have seen, however, was his method. I watched him approach several people, each of whom proceeded to give him exactly one dollar. He counted the money meticulously and, after requesting a final 75 cents from one last passerby, entered the restaurant to purchase the least expensive meal on the menu.
This brief encounter struck me as so informative for us as Christ-followers. The man’s behavior embodied beautifully the posture expressed in the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew and Luke: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Nijay Gupta notes that the word here for “daily” (epiousios) only appears in these passages and is therefore especially significant. Whatever the precise explanation for this word, Gupta expresses that ‘communicates two important themes: dependence and simplicity.”
The man’s demeanor was not aggressive, but simple, as was his request, which was limited to what was necessary for a single meal. This demonstrated the kind of humility and restraint in that aligns with other biblical teachings on dependence and provision.
In Proverbs 30:8–9, a man named Agur expresses a similar desire. He prays,
“Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the LORD? ” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.
His prayer for neither excess nor deprivation but for only what is sufficient to sustain life. Duane A. Garrett explains that “The ‘falsehood and lies’ of v.8 are the deceptiveness of both wealth and poverty. The former convinces one that God is not necessary; and the latter, that either he is of no help or that his laws are impossible to keep.” By asking for only what is sufficient, this man, either consciously or unconsciously, was acting in faith.
Discussion and Reflection Questions:
ASK:
- Where in your life are you allowing poverty or wealth to compromise your reliance on God?
- Who in your life embodies dependence and simplicity?
DISCUSS: Read Proverbs 30:8–9
- How does the man I met’s request for only what he needed illuminate the Christian concept of “daily bread”?
- In what ways does this story challenge or reinforce your understanding of giving and receiving?
- Do you find seasons of poverty or wealth more difficult for maintaining dependence on God?
DO:
Identify one area where you can allow God to provide more actively. (It does not have to be financial?) Ask a friend to pray and check in with you about this commitment.