| “But
Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought
nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out
of it.” 1 Tim 6:6-7
We live in a culture and a society that is always desirous
of more. There is a strong drive to obtain that which
is bigger, better and faster. Unfortunately this covetous
characteristic does not compliment the Christian ensemble
and far to many are trying to make an ill fitting garment
fit. To many of our actions are derived from TV programs
and commercials instead of the scriptures. I quit reading
magazines for quite sometime because I found that every
time I picked one up I felt empty and that I needed
that new shirt, or lipstick, a new hairstyle, or different
running shoes. Believe me the list of necessities marketers
believe every young women should have is quite long…
probably longer then any wish list you’ve ever
made.
The scriptures oppose the “you deserve more”
mentality, telling us that; we have been giving everything
we need for a life of godliness. “He satisfies
our desires with good things.” Ps 103:5. “He
fulfills the desires of those who fear him…”
Ps 145:19. Part of dying to self is turning our back
to the thought that we always deserve more. “
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one
another, envying one another. ” Gal 5:26. Greed
often grows from pride, where as contentment comes from
an inward attitude of humility. At some point we must
recognize our own unworthiness. Inside of this attitude
of unworthiness is a grateful heart, like that of Jacob’s
in Genesis 31:10, ”I am unworthy of all the kindness
and faithfulness you have shown your servant.”
Contentment is not something that many of us tend to
strive after, or in general think about. Many of us
may claim to have content hearts but the truth is often
revealed when hard times come or the distance we have
carried our grief becomes longer then that which we
thought we had agreed to. Paul speaks on contentment,
revealing to us that there is a secret to it. In Phil
4:12-13 he writes, “I know what it is to be in
need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed of hungry, whether living in plenty
or in want. I can do everything through him who gives
me strength.” A content heart is one that knows
that God is in control, he is sovereign and he will
always be our perfect provision.
Contentment is the opposite of envy, jealousy, anxiety
and worry. It is a heart that is happy to stay in the
fields where God has placed one to glean, a heart that
trusts the Lord to give and to take away that which
one needs or does not need (Job 1:21). A content heart
is not deceived by empty riches but longs for the deeper
things of the Lord, “Keep falsehood and lies far
from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give
me only my daily bread.” Pr 30:8.
A powerful story of contentment is that of the Shunamite
woman found in 2 Kings 4:8-17. Her story becomes a picture
to hold in our minds and an example of the hidden blessings
that comes from true contentment. The prophet Elisha
would often travel through the town of Shunem, knowing
that he was a holy man and with her husband’s
permission a well-to-do women of the town built him
a small room upon her roof in which the prophet could
stay and study when in the area. Out of gratitude Elisha
(the prophet) offers to speak to the King on the women’s
behalf (our Shunamite woman), for either an official
job for her husband or any other needs or concerns the
woman might have. Her response is short and simple;
“I have a home among my people.” (Vs.13).
In his commentary on the book of 2 Kings Matthew Henry
explains the deeper meaning and lesson we can learn
from her short reply. He fills in the details and the
heart that was the foundation of her response.
“It is a happiness to dwell among our own
people, that love and respect us, and to whom we
are in a capacity of doing good; and a greater happiness
to be content to do so, to be easy, and to know when
we are well off. Why should those that live comfortably
among their own people covet to live delicately in kings’
palaces? It would be well with many if they did but
know when they were well off.”
The Shunamite woman recognized the blessings she had,
that she was “well off” during a time when
many in Israel were not. She also exhibits the joy it
brings her to serve inside of the realm God has given
her. How many of us take the time to realize that we
are greatly blessed? When we are always looking at what
we don’t have we miss the opportunity to give
and bless others with what we do have.
The greatest blessing of this story is yet to be given;
it comes only after the Shunamite woman turns down anything
that any man can give her. Elisha still wanting to bless
the woman asks his servant Gehazi how they can repay
the woman for all she has done for them. Gehazi tells
Elisha that the woman has no children, her husband is
old and so there is little likelihood of any heir being
produced. The Shunamite woman’s bareness was her
only grief and yet she did not let this stop her from
being a cheerful giver. She has asked nothing from the
court of man and so Elisha took it upon himself to petition
a higher court for a deeper need. God hears Elisha’s
request and grants the Shunamite woman a son.
When we can let go of all that we think we need or desire
from man, we open ourselves up to receive the deepest
and greatest desires of our hearts from the only one
who can satisfy them. But notice that as the Shunamite
woman did not ask Elisha for a son, she did not demand
a son from God either, though she desired a son she
was grateful for the blessings she had been given. God
sees our desires even when we do not express them. A
content heart does not demand but relinquishes to accept
cheerfully that which the sovereign Lord gives, knowing
that God sees our needs and knows our hearts. “Every
good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of the heavenly lights,” Jas 1:17.
Written
By: Brooke Heidi
Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on 2 Kings." Matthew
Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible.
01 Mar 1996. 13 September 2004.
< http://blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/2Ki/2Ki004.html
>.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International
Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world.
Used by permission of International Bible Society. |
