Chihuahua Contentment

"But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment" (1 Timothy 6:6)

The inspiration for these devotional thoughts came to me a short while ago, beloved, as I sat in the living room with my wife and watched as she cuddled her "baby" - our 4 year old, 4 pound bundle of joy named Cocoa. Those two have bonded like nothing I have ever seen! As I watched her so gently scratching Cocoa's head as she lay in her arms, the picture on that tiny face was one of sheer contentment - Chihuahua contentment.

The Apostle Paul was instructing and encouraging Timothy about the misplaced emphasis on gaining great wealth that seemed to abound even in the church and how it adversely affected even one's relationships. As he did so, he made the amazing statement that you see printed above concerning the vital role of "contentment" in our lives as Christians and what that contentment has to do with genuine godliness.

First of all, "godliness" in the original language of the New Testament means "piety" or "reverence" in the sense of a personal likeness to God. The false teachers who abounded in the church of Paul's day taught that godliness was related to one's religiosity or external form of religious practice. The apostle taught instead that true godliness is one's inward genuine likeness to and relationship with God.

But what does the concept of "contentment" have to do with such godliness? Those same false teachers in the 1st century church carried out their religiosity in the hope of personal financial gain and its accompanying prestige within the religious community. Actually the word "contentment" in the original language means "self-sufficiency" and points to the person who is unmovable and who responds successfully to his circumstances in life. To be content, then, is to know a sense of sufficiency and its satisfaction with life, not needing to always seek more than what you have.

The key, however, is that genuine contentment comes from God. No greater description of the nature of spiritual contentment has ever been penned than that written by this same Paul to the believers in the city of Philippi.

"Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13)

When a person is right with God, beloved, and demonstrates genuine godliness by accepting from His gracious hand all that comes his way in life, seeking always God's perfect will and seizing every opportunity to serve His cause, then that person knows the meaning of true contentment! How truly content are you today?

Come to think of it, I think I'll go and share in some of that "Chihuahua contentment" going on in the living room...

Ron