How much is “enough”?
How much is “enough” in terms of material well-being? I’ve been thinking a lot about this question in the last four years and I’ve arrived at several answers one of which is: “enough” is different for different people and depends on what makes them happy and contented.
How much is “enough” in terms of material well-being? I’ve been thinking a lot about this question in the last four years and I’ve arrived at several answers one of which is: “enough” is different for different people and depends on what makes them happy and contented. For some, this can be a house, a car and a good salary; for others ‒ two houses, two cars and two good salaries; for still others ‒ many cars, many houses and many salaries plus a number of other things. And of course, there are such that are glad to have a few crusts and a warm shelter at night.
I also intended to calculate how much is “enough” for an average person like me by adding up all my living costs. My very rough estimations were that they could amount to around four ordinary cars for my whole life if I lived frugally or four luxury cars if I loosened my purse strings.
Today, however, I remembered a passage from the Bible that I like very much and I saw it in a new light.
“Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30: 7-9).
So I think “enough” is what keeps me inside this area of being not too “full” and not too “wanting” where I am fully aware of the Lord’s being God and my being dependent on Him to be able to distinguish between true and false and live accordingly.
“Enough” is not easy. It is very hard to live by even when it is given by God after being asked and prayed for. But God is merciful and He gives us what we need. We just have to trust Him.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10).