Proverbs 30:7-9

…give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need (Proverbs 30:8)

Did you know that roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted? That amounts to about 1.3 billion tons. Food loss is what takes place during harvest, production or transportation. This is a particularly large problem in developing countries where farming technologies are limited. Food waste on the other hand is a problem particular to places like the U.S. where we simply throw away perfectly good, edible food. I’m not just talking about the stuff your parents wanted you to eat because “there are starving children in the world.” I’m talking about the stockpiles we get at Costco that go bad before we can ever use them up. I’m talking about the enormous portions that get served in restaurants that are difficult to finish. I’m talking about the luxury of making food the subject of a television channel that makes of food a game. I’m talking about the wastefulness that emerges because we have more than we need.

Kind of makes you want to prepare leftovers tonight, doesn’t it?

 Proverbs 30:7-9 NRSV

 7 Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:
 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need,
 9 or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.