In the first book Paul wrote to young Timothy, he warns him to watch out for people who stir the pot with false teaching. He's especially concerned about weasels who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Timothy 6:5)
We've probably thought so ourselves. We think if we live well, God will bless us with stuff, but if we make poor choices, he will punish us or at least not prosper us. My friend Carl thinks so.
I remember fishing one October, and six of us were lined up along a Coho hole, a deep pond-like tributary of the main river. Carl stood three guys down from me catching fish left and right while I was getting skunked. I called out, "Hey Carl, how do you do it? I'm using the same lure as you and haven't a bite!" He yelled back in his quick-witted fashion, "I would hate to say it might be sin in your life!"
Matthew 5:45 says the sun shines on good folks and bad folks. It isn't a sure thing that living well brings prosperity or bad choices yield poverty. Crooks catch fish too. Paul ends his warning to Timothy with wisdom: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
Today, can you say it's enough to be God's child? Is resting in him sufficient to bring contentment? Do we need more stuff to be happy?
Dear God, help me be content in you, not in riches. Thank you for food, friends and relationships. Most of all, thank you for who you are and who you've called me to be. Amen.
Today's Challenge: Encourage someone today to consider godly contentment as a treasure all its own.
We'd like to greet all of our Canadian readers a very Happy Thanksgiving! - The Life Team