I have learned to be content in whatever state I find myself in.
Paul echoes this sentiment in a sense in:
1Timothy 6:6 ¶ Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
If God has blessed you, be generous with He has given you. But do not make life decisions based on obtaining wealth.
Throughout the New Testament the rich are admonished to be generous and they are warned. Being rich will not send a person to hell. But neither is it a virtue when it is unaccompanied by generosity. We do not need a government to take what the rich have and distribute either. All will give an account for their actions to God. Each person stands or falls before Him.
It is not spiritual or magnanimous to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Just because a person can take someone else’s money and give it away to someone in need it doesn’t rid them from being a thief.
Our dependence on a government to do what individuals are responsible to do themselves will not wash with God at the judgment.
We do not get to claim we cared for the weak and poor because we paid taxes which sponsored government programs.
There are no spiritual points for being rich or poor in the Kingdom, because poverty nor wealth are the goal in the kingdom, the Kingdom itself is the goal.
Christ being central to all we are and hope to be is the core of our existence.
If we make “more” the goal of our living then we will have less time to invest where it counts the most.
We will sacrifice the most meaningful things in life and find ourselves comfortable here and now as far as possessions go, but miserable and impoverished as far as eternal and weighty things are concerned.
We need to learn to be thankful and be content.
Do you have a job? Be thankful.
Do you have a roof over your head? Be thankful.
Do you have clothes to wear? Be thankful.
Do you have food to eat? Be thankful.
Do you have all these things and time with God? Be especially thankful.
Do you have more than enough? Be thankful and share it with others.
Do you have good solid relationships? Be especially thankful.
Let’s make choices that free us to do the thing we were created for. Let’s seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness.
Let’s choose things that allow for time with others, time to do what we are called to do, time to seek Jesus, to learn of Him.
It is when we do this that we find our testimony is that, “God is our help!”
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
