The secret of Contentment
One of the most fascinating and enriching experiences I think you can have is sitting and listening to an elderly man or woman talk about the world from their perspective. Ask them to share their experiences and stories from the past. It is eye opening. I recently had the opportunity to sit and listen to a fantastic lady with an amazing history for several hours – and it was mesmerizing. I sat and listened to her as she spoke of her late husband. She told of their engagement and their marriage which was squeezed in between visits home from the armed forces. She told me of the effect of his going to war in North Africa with her being left at home, expecting and giving birth to their first child, whilst looking after her elderly Mother and running a shop on her own. The thing that struck me, as she looked back and reflected on her life, was her ‘settledness’ with all that had happened to her and that she and her husband had been through. There was no sense of regret, bitterness or anger. I’m sure there would have been things she would have loved to have seen or been through differently, but she shone with a sense of rested contentment and reconciliation with her lot.
As we reflect on Matthew 6 - Jesus manifesto for the Kingdom of God, we discover at the heart of Christian Spirituality is a list of characteristics, such as prayer, forgiveness, giving, and fasting. In this list we also find contentment (Matthew 6:25-34).
Unlikely contentment
Let me introduce you to a colourful character buried deep in the middle of the Old Testament. He is someone else I’d love to meet, sit and listen to, and someone who understood contentment.
In the book of 2 Samuel, King David, the great King who ruled over Israel around 1000BC has had his calamitous, adulterous affair with Bathsheba. As a result his Kingdom has begun to crumble. David’s son Absalom has fled Israel after murdering his half-brother only to eventually find reconciliation with David his Father. But Absalom’s response to this reconciliation is to organise a conspiracy, a coup against David, and eventually deposes him from the throne, chasing him out of Jerusalem and across the Jordan River. Most of Israel now side with Absalom.
After reorganising and appointing generals, David sends his troops against Absalom’s men, eventually defeating him and killing Absalom (which David takes very badly). But he is victorious, rules the land again and starts back to Jerusalem.
Just as he is about to re-cross the River Jordan and back towards Jerusalem, he bumps into someone. Mephibosheth was the grandson of King Saul, and a cripple. Because of this, prior to the coup David had generously taken Mephibosheth (Meph) and his servant Ziba under his wing. But Meph had appeared to take Absaloms’ side in the conspiracy. Ziba was a deceptive character, manipulating Meph for his own gain and putting him at risk
David’s meeting with Meph is a point of high tension in the story. What reception will he get…?
But Meph knows what is of most import.
“All my Grandfather’s descendants deserve nothing but death from my Lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who sat at your table. So what right do I have to make any appeals to the king?”
The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the fields.”
Meph said to the King, “Let him take everything, now my Lord the king has arrived home safely.”2 Sam 19:28-30
Meph had been Ziba’s pawn, used for his own gain. Meph had every reason to want vengeance against Ziba, but when offered life by David, and half the land – he turns it down because he is “content” simply to have David back as his King.
Meph could have had so much more – indeed deserved much more, but he was content with one thing. The presence of the King.
So, what is contentment?
It is the lack of worry about the things of life because we know that what is really important is settled.
Reading through Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus’ command not to worry is very clear - contentment has something to do with the lack of worry.
Notice the number of times Jesus tells his hearers not to worry; don’t worry about everyday life, food and drink, don’t worry about your clothes, don’t worry about tomorrow.
And when Jesus instructs us not to worry I don’t think he has in mind just the “worriers” amongst us. He is saying be content – don’t be consumed by “anxious care” over these things. The older versions tell us to “take no thought” over these things.
When I was small, I remember finding a cigarette fact card about Nostradamus. It terrified me. I lay in bed worrying that the world would end in the year 2000, just as he predicted and I didn’t want that to happen. I was naive and terrified. My Mum’s response was to “think about something nice – like the Queen!”
I don’t know what she meant by referring me to the Queen – but the principle is there – “take no thought” about it. Don’t worry about it. You can’t do anything about it, and worrying doesn’t help – so don’t bother.
The thing is, contentment makes sense. As Jesus says – can you add a single hour to your life by worrying? Of course not!
Listen to what Paul has to say to Timothy about worrying after money
“True religion with contentment is great wealth. After all, we didn’t bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Tim 6:6-10
He contrasts contentment with greed – which leads, in the extreme to people being trapped by harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. History is littered with the stories, those whose lives are consumed with thoughts for wealth, possessions, image, food, drink which seems to start out innocuously but end up with in ruin. A lack of contentment leads to being trapped and chained to harmful desires that control, ruin and destroy.
The alternative, contentment, makes sense.
But not only does contentment make sense, for those of us who would call ourselves Christians is the natural product of being a Christian.
Contentment comes from trusting God
Jesus makes it clear that the equation is very simple. Contentment springs from knowing God as our Father.
Jesus points to the birds. They don’t fuss about their food and drink. Yet God cares for them. He points to the flowers. They don’t work and worry about looking beautiful – they just are because God made them that way.
And if he cares for them, birds and flowers, he will care for you because you are so much more valuable. So trust him.
Now I can hear some of us saying - that is quaint, thinking about birds and flowers. But let’s get real shall we. There are people the world over who suffer and starve. What about them? The equation is pretty – but it misses the mark.
Well, just look at Hebrews 13:5 –
“Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
That is why we can say with confidence – “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?””
It is on the whole true that God provides us with everything we need. Most of us, most of the time don’t go hungry. But there are some who do so how do we take these verses quoted from Deut 31:6-8 and Psalm 118:6?
The first thing to say is, there is enough food in the world to feed every human being alive. It is our distribution of it that is wrong - man not giving man what should rightly be his.
“What can mere mortals do to me?” Well, quite a lot actually. There are many around the world who could say – mere mortals have taken my life.
But let’s ask the question again.
What is the worst that can happen? The worst that can happen is that my life is taken from me. But God has said – “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
The worst that can happen is that the life that is temporary is taken from me – but the life that is permanent, eternal, spiritual will never be and cannot be taken from me. So be content.
Which leads us on to our third and final point.
Contentment means focussing on what is really important.
Jesus puts it like this.
“Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs from day to say if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”
If I am living my life thinking all the time of “stuff” – of food, drink, wealth – I will not be making the Kingdom of God my primary concern.
Remember Mephibosheth. He was thankful just to be included in the Kings plane, accepted by him. Everything else was a bonus. He knew he didn’t deserve it and was overwhelmed with thanksgiving for it. He was even willing to forsake his right to his land for it. And that is contentment. Knowing and living for what is really important. Sounds simple…?