Recently, while on a trip up north, my husband and I met a mennonite family. Their vehicle had broken down on the side of the road, and they were waiting for someone to pick them up. The woman approached me and we had a conversation about family and about the Lord. She so freely talked about Jesus....I stuttered. I knew she was a mennonite, she had no idea I was a Chrisitian. After our conversation I wondered what I could have said differently to convince her that I was saved, although it is not her I am to convince. Either way, I realized how little my light shines, and how clumsy my words become when I speak to someone else about he Lord...specifically Jesus. From that meeting, which I don't believe was chance, I am trying to be more bold...but I'm a afraid.
Eventually, the man walked up and began talking to my husband. Somehow, my husband mentioned that we are hoping to change our lives soon. We have a desire to move to a "simpler" place. We want to live in a small, teeny town, own lots of land and farm. We want to work as a family and not be running from place to place. We don't want to be under the watchful eyes of others....family, employers, customers. We want to rise early and work, instill a hard work ethic in our children and limit their access to abundant worldliness. We want to be Amish....ok, not really, but sometimes it does cross my mind:) Mennonite maybe? haha. I'm being silly. Back to my point.
As the many listened to my husband, he said "Godliness with contentment is great gain".
Since then...that portion of scripture has been stuck in my head. I have pondered what Paul meant when he said that. I have wondered what the man meant. I have worked to figure it into my own life.
Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim. 6:6)
I think what he was trying to say was...are you content where you are right now? If not, you will not be content where you want to go. It is more important, more honorable to be godly. And, even more so to be godly AND content. If I am living my life restless, uneasy....wishing for it to be different, thinking throughout the day how to change it to that quiet life I want, I am not content. The Bible talks a lot about contentment. Paul reminds us in Philippians that he has learned to be content in whatever circumstances, both in want and in abundance. Contentment is not something that can be obtained by things...if "things" make you content, then you are not really content. The only way to be truly content is to fully trust in the Lord. To allow HIM to be your sufficiency. If you need something to change to be content, then it will not bring contentment, it will bring more want.
Learn to be content whatever the circumstances....pursue Godliness and I believe contentment will follow. Be Godly. Be Christ-like. You can do that anywhere. In a big city, in your home, on a farm, in jail. Then...and I think only then....can you be content.
