Money: Wealth, Poverty & Greed
Background
Agur son of Jakeh wrote Proverbs 30. He appears nowhere else in Scripture — not Solomon, not a king or prophet, just an ordinary man. His opening is one of the most startling in all of Proverbs: he leads with a confession of ignorance and weakness. The prayer in 7–9 flows directly from that humility. A man who knows he is not sufficient asks only for enough.
1 Kings 4:32 records that Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs. Proverbs 25:1 notes that Hezekiah's men copied Solomon's proverbs 250 years later. Agur was likely added during that later compilation. Proverbs is not one man's journal — it's Israel's collective wisdom literature accumulated over centuries.
- Agur opens by saying he doesn’t have wisdom or understanding on his own. How often do we approach money and financial decisions that way — admitting we don’t have it figured out?
- He prays for neither poverty nor riches — just enough. Honestly, which danger is more real in your own life right now — too much or too little? And why?
Wealth and equality
Honest dealing
Oppression and integrity
Debt and borrowing
Pledging for another
Generosity
Kindness to the poor
Legacy
Godliness with contentment
Command to the rich
- Agur prays for neither poverty nor riches — just enough. Looking back at your life, when did you actually feel like you had “enough?” Did it last?
- Paul warns that the love of money causes people to wander from the faith without even realizing it. Where have you seen that happen — in yourself or someone close to you?
- Proverbs says God himself detests dishonest scales. Over 30+ years of working and doing business, where did you feel the most pressure to compromise your integrity financially? How did you handle it?
- Proverbs says whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Has there been a moment where giving generously changed something in you — not just in the person who received it?
- 13:22 says a good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children. When you think about what you’re actually leaving behind — not just financially — what do you most want it to be? What are you most uncertain about?
- If the men in your life who know you best were honest — would they say money has made you more generous or more guarded as you’ve gotten older?
Agur’s prayer sets the tone for this week: humility before God, not confidence in possessions. Discussions about money often become conversations about budgets, careers, or politics. Keep returning to the passages. Proverbs is more interested in what money reveals about the heart than how much someone has. Encourage the group to consider contentment, generosity, integrity, and trust in God. The richest discussion usually begins when people stop talking about money in general and start asking what it reveals about themselves.