Contentment

This is copied from the June 4, 1972 edition of Reminders, published by the Moundsville Church of Christ in Moundsville, West Virginia. Paul C. Keller was both the author of the article and the editor of the paper.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and rainment let us be therewith content" (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

How strange such sentiments seem to many people in our day! Men of our day are largely materialistic in their thinking. Success is often measured in terms of the amount of money and property one is able to accumulate. As the plants of America increase the volume of their output and the advertising genius of our day increases the demand for these goods, people are caught in a whirlpool of ever increasing desires. Instead of being contend with such things as we have, the influences about us would contribute to discontent and an increase in the maddening pace to obtain more and more. We need to awaken to the folly and futility of such a course.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." Godliness is itself great gain. Paul says it is, "profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Whenever there is true godliness, piety, reverence, there will be contentment. The godly person is content with what God gives him, knowing it is best. Someone has said if we fasten our attention on what we have, rather on what we lack, a very little wealth is sufficient.

Our constant drive to acquire more and more things is so foolish. We do not need much. We do not need it long. And, regardless of how much abundance we may have accumulated, death will strip it all away from us. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

Having our needs supplied, we should be content. Since one cannot take it with him, all but present needs are superfluous. Paul says, "Having food and rainment let us be therewith content." Such contentment lies within the reach of the godly person, for he has the Divine assurance that all his needs will be supplied (Matthew 6:33). On this ground, the writer of Hebrews teaches Christians to be content. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have; for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee'" (Hebrews 13:5).

Paul's teaching on the subject was not merely theoretical. He made practical application of it in his life. He knew both how to be "abased" and how to "abound," being, "every where and in all things...instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Yet in the face of the changing circumstances of life he said, "...I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11). Paul said he had learned to be content. It did not come automatically for him. Neither will it come automatically for us. We must learn to be content also. How badly we all need to learn this lesson! Someone has well said, "The contented man is never poor and the discontented man is never rich." May God help us all to learn the lesson of contentment.