Be Content with what you have

 

Introduction

In Proverbs 30:8-9 Solomon writes, Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches-Feed me with the food allotted to 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. In other words, be thankful of the things you have and appreciate that you have enough. Those who have more than they need will forget that it was God who gave them that abundance.

 

Keeping up with The Jones’

There are often times when someone is jealous of others because they have more than themselves. Or, it’s a matter of what they have seems nicer or better than their own. When this happens, it becomes a case of one-upmanship with their neighbor. They get a new family car; you get a sports car. They get a new motorbike; you get a boat. And so on. In the world of religion, the same thing could happen. Two of their four children are Christians; You have three of your children converted.

The main problem with both of these is that it becomes an issue of cost. The material gains can cost someone great debt just to keep up with a neighbor, while the religious “gains” could create unfirm Christian. Conversion for the sake of competition is foolish and could condemn souls to Hell.

Paul writes about this in 2 Corinthians 10:12, For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

 

The Land that Flowed with Milk and Honey

In Deut. 8:11-20, God reminds them that all of the land is theirs as long as they follow His word. Everything is given to them for their faithfulness and a reminder that it was: He who brought them up out of the land of Egypt (vs. 14), led them through the wilderness of fiery serpents, scorpions, and no water (vs. 15); and fed them with manna that their fathers did not know (vs. 16).

However, as time passed and generations came and went, the people gradually forgot God and went after foreign gods of other nations (Hos. 13:6). Eventually both the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah were carried away into captivity for their disobedience.

 

Christians today

We should not be in competition with anyone; be it a neighbor or a brother or sister in Christ, rather we should measure ourselves against God’s word. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus sets the example of how we should pray. Look specifically at verse 11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This means we should be content with what we have this day; not tomorrow’s bread or next week’s bread, but today’s bread. In verse 34, Jesus concludes this thought by saying, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

 

Conclusion

As you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this week remember what the apostle Paul wrote, while in prison, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content (Philippians 4:11). If Paul can be content, while in prison, then we can be content with what we have.