QT 8/14/2024 Prov 30:15-16, Finding the right balance in serving

Proverbs 30:15–16 (ESV)

15 The leech has two daughters:

Give and Give.

Three things are never satisfied;

four never say, “Enough”:

16 Sheol, the barren womb,

the land never satisfied with water,

and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

 

NOTE: Chapter 30 is a collection of the sayings of Agur son of Jakeh. Verses 15 and 16 stood out because he names the leech's two daughters the same name, Give and Give. The two names emphasize the problem of people who become leeches, they get used to others taking care of them and don't learn to be on their own. They don't make the sacrifices required to establish themselves, they continue to want to be leeches. It is a dangerous thing to be too supportive or to get into a habit of bailing your children out of bad financial choices. Even serving or helping out can go on for too long. We need to have balance in how we help. We must be careful that helping does not create dependency.

 

The last of the examples of things that are never satisfied is fire. Once a fire gets going, it does not get full or tire out, it continues until it is stopped or there is nothing left to burn.

 

PONDER:

Helping is a godly quality until it creates dependency. Is there something I do which has moved beyond helping and has created a laziness or dependency in the individual helped?

 

PRAYER: Father, this is a tough passage for a parent or grandparent. It is not a command from scripture since it is a proverb. It represents wise guidance and a basic truism. Where am I failing? Where am I creating dependencies? Give me wisdom in my serving others.