The greatness of a man can be measured by his relationship
with the LORD and the simple way he does life. People who appreciate life and
know the uncertainty of it, will honestly evaluate it and then seek to walk
honestly, faithfully and sincerely before Him. Proverbs 30:5 gives a hint that
Agur was such a man. He sought to live honestly before the Almighty. His basic principle
in life is to trust God and take His Word to heart. He knew from first-hand
experience that God could be trusted. So, he boldly
declared saying that, “Every word of God is tested; He is a
shield to those who take refuge in Him.” In three verses from Proverbs 30:7-9,
we can catch a glimpse of his simplicity regarding life through the things he requested
from God in prayer.
William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a
stage, and all men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances….”
This saying is found in his play “As You Like It.” Shakespeare saw life from
birth to death in seven stages, and each stage of life as a scene in a play that
people play out their roles. Life, if not properly evaluated and lived out, can
be seen as an illusion. In verse 7, Agur showed that he didn’t want to live a life
of make-believe and illusion. He wanted to live for the reality of each moment.
Relying totally in God, Agur appraised life and showed how one should live from
the perspective of one’s relationship with God. So, he asked for only two
things in life before he departed this world.
His first request was for falsehood to be removed
from his life. Basically, he was asking for integrity, to learn to live life with
integrity. This tells us that if we want to truly experience real life, we need
to be a lover of truth and integrity. We need to avoid living a life of falsehood
and make believe. Make each moment count by living in the reality of the moment.
Secondly, Agur asked for neither riches nor poverty. Knowing that living at the
end of either of the extremes will subject one to needless temptation. He only
wanted what would enable him to live a life with integrity and wholeness so
that he would not be enticed into sin. The issue is not about wealth but the
way we view wealth and become succumbed to its temptation.
In verse 9, Agur gave the rationale for the way
he prayed. He did not want to be so rich, became proud and self-sufficient and forgot
the part God had in his life. He did not want to come to a point where he became
so totally self-centred that he would feel he did not need God. On the other
hand, he did not want to be so poor till he had to steal for food and bring a
bad reputation to God. So he asked to be able to live a balanced life.
In essence, these three verses urge us to rightly
appraise life, rely on God, live a balanced life, and to live in the reality
and integrity of the moment. Life must be lived out truthfully. We must never
stop relying and trusting God and switch our attention to trust our riches. Remember
God is the source of our life. He wants to bless us more than we can imagine.
Trust God and live for Him!
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