Most of us have probably heard of the prayer of Jabez, but how familiar are you with the prayer of Agur? His prayer is actually the only recorded prayer in Proverbs. He asked the Lord for two specific things: integrity and contentment.

Agur wanted to live a life of integrity before his God, and he characterizes this life as one without falsehood and lies. The word used for falsehood means emptiness or vanity. The word for lies means falsehood or deception. These two words capture the very character of this world with all its empty promises and its deceptive nature. Agur does not pray for help to tell the truth; he prays to be kept from the lure of everything that is false, and everything that is not of the truth!

It has often been said that “Reputation is what people think you are; integrity is what we are when no one else is around!” This world will seek to draw our affection away from following the Lord with false promises, false hopes, and false pleasures. But the Word of Truth, the Bible, points us to the One who is the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. Agur did not trust himself and he put no confidence in his flesh!

James warns us, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). David would say, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things” (Ps. 119:37). Do we have the wisdom and devotion of Agur? May we “turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”