1 Timothy 6:6-10

“Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” vss. 6-8

Greek philosophers around the time of Jesus believed that contentment was a precious gift, one to be prized among all others. Here it is connected with godliness, a general sense of piety that is not particularly Christian. The writer believes that godliness, having a faith that is rooted in God, is the key element of a person’s life. And if a godly person has adequate food and clothing there is nothing else necessary. Contentment will follow and we will know great blessings. That sure sounds easy, and we might even agree that it is true, but it’s a lot harder to pull off. Even though we know we can take nothing from this world when we die, we get massive enjoyment from having material goods. We like our boats and cars and fine homes with their elegant furnishings. And most of us don’t even feel guilty about having those things. Of course that also means that contentment can be hard to come by. We always want just a little bit more. And here’s where these verses are a super reminder that we don’t need all that stuff to be satisfied with life. It’s our God-connection that makes the difference. When God gives peace to our minds and love to our hearts we have all we need for contentment.

Thought for the Day: To what extent am I content?