WATCHWORD:
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
Meditation:
Priorities and Contentment
Priorities and contentment? Is contentment a priority for us? Or, are our priorities preventing us from experiencing contentment? What is contentment, anyway? Why should we make it a priority in our lives? One definition tells us that contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction. For some, the accumulation of wealth leads to contentment. In Paul’s letter to Timothy he cites contentment paired with godliness as “great wealth”. Godliness carries with it the intent to living our lives in close communication with our Lord and Savior.
We sometimes understand a word by considering synonyms. Contentment – enjoyment, gladness, happiness, pleasure, satisfaction, calmness. Yes, all of those convey a state of joy, of peace. But, how do priorities interfere with contentment?
Again, in Paul’s letter, he makes it clear that the love of something — money, position, a pet, a person, an object – that takes us away from our focus on God, then contentment goes right out the window. We can value almost anything, enhance it, protect it, hold it dear, as long as whatever it is, it does not become the number one priority in our life. What is only the alter of what we think is important? Is it our priority over our relation with Jesus?
Godliness is defined as living a fruitful, obedient Christian life. If your focus is on the “bottom line”, to the exclusion of the call of the Christian life, what kind of contentment would that be. One reference I found said there are five attributes of contentment: Satisfaction, lack of envy, humility, discipline, and abhorrence of greed and corruption. I agree with those, but I think humility is the key attribute.
My afterthought:
It’s alright to smile should you think of humility with humor. It doesn’t make you proud.
Humility: The ability to act ashamed when you tell people how wonderful you are.
I’m proud of my humility.
Life is a long lesson in humility.
Closing Prayer:
Father, if in anyway I have fallen short of Your Glory and Expectations by allowing the spirit of pride to take root in my life, please, have Mercy and Forgive me; let Your Mercy prevail over every judgement of sin in my life, in The Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.
