Yesterday I looked at 1 Timothy 6 and the “rare jewel of contentment. Specifically  “3 Reasons to Be Content”: 1) you can’t take it with you, 2) you have enough already, and 3) discontentment leads to disaster.

Think about the unbelievable witness to Christ that comes from a contented church.  The world around us is marked by discontentment, by striving and searching after satisfaction in worldly things. The church is called to reflect the character of God, therefore any faithful reflection will image forth His self-sufficiency. Fostering a spirit of contentment in the church fuels the reflection of God’s sufficiency. What a testimony to the grace of Christ would it be if a church can say with Paul in Philippians 4:11, “We have learned the secret of being content in every situation.” But notice something significant in this verse. The rare jewel is learned, it is not engrained. We all know this to be true . . . just look at children.

My boys, as I am sure your kids do or did, exemplify the truth that coveting is not a learned response. It is engrained within the heart from birth.  Just stick my two boys in a game room filled with toys and at some point, usually sooner than later, one of them wants whatever the other has. For no other reason than the other has it. There is an old little ditty that sums up my boys’ behavior in a toy room quite well,

If I like it, it’s mine.
If I can take it away from you, it’s mine.
If I had it a while ago, it’s mine.
If I say it’s mine, it’s mine.
If it looks like mine, it’s mine.
If I saw it first, it’s mine.
If you’re having fun with it, it’s mine.
If you lay down your toy, it’s mine.
If it is broken, it’s yours.

We don’t need to be taught discontentment, rather like Paul we need to learn contentment. 1 Timothy 6 gives us three lessons to be learned in order that a church have the sweet aroma of Christ-centered contentment.

• First, learn the lesson of God’s goodness. 1 Timothy 6:17 tells us that God provides richly for our every need.  Let us learn that God is good and does good.  In every station of life, the goodness of God is present. And the goodness of God is enough for His children.
• Second, learn the lesson of Christ’s sufficiency. We have remarked on this already, but let us continually remind ourselves that all we have is Christ and He is sufficient for each day.
• Thirdly, learn the lesson of the world’s vanishment. Whatever we have we cannot take with us and whatever we have is enough. This world and all of its perceived benefits will pass away and cannot satisfy the soul’s for sufficiency.

I have heard it said that a spirit of contentment is like a good watch. Though you move up and down, the spring is not shaken nor are the wheels out of order; the watch keeps perfect motion.  When life moves up and down, a contented spirit protects the heart from being broken and keeps our motion continually heavenward. Steady yourself with contentment on heaven’s path by learning these three lessons.