My second Faith & Family Business series considers the book of Proverbs. Though written thousands of years ago, these proverbs still have a timeliness and power today. My aim is to consider these maxims in the context of our current experience of living and working with family members. Thanks for your feedback and sharing this post with others.
Proverbs conveys wisdom using metaphors, similes, contrast, direct instruction, and even admonishment. Last week we read about an overgrown vineyard. This week, consider the author’s use of both wealth and food:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (Prov. 30:8-9)
It’s about balance — about having enough. It’s about what we need, which is perhaps not what we want. The consequences of too much include forgetting God’s providence. Not enough, and we behave in ways that dishonor Him.
Family businesses are motivated by goals. Revenue, profits, production, size, speed, scale, locations, legacy, or staff, to name a few. The pressure is immense to keep it going, to continue to increase, to continue to grow. But at some point, we end up worshipping the goal instead of God. Chasing more comes with a cost. The cost may be our physical or mental health, our family bonds, or even our relationship with God.
Have you ever struggled with the question of whether you have enough? If you feel you have enough, what helped you reach that conclusion?