wealth is like a strong, secure wall, right?
Embracing Contentment: A Journey with Money
It’s so easy to measure wealth. The modern approach to money and the introduction of tech have made it painless — even effortless. Pull out your phone, open your flavor of money management app, scroll to the net worth tab or the account balances summary and :wham: there’s your number. That’s you! In dollars. Congrats.
But as we discussed recently on the podcast, measuring success by material wealth can be is almost guaranteed to be detrimental to our spiritual well-being and growth.
So what do we do instead? Should we ignore net worth graphs or financial projections? Well not entirely. Often the right path is just a degree or two different from the direction in which you’re currently heading. So let’s dive deeper into why embracing contentment is crucial for living a generous life.
The Deeper Motivations Behind Generosity
The teachings of Scripture are suitable both for the deep and theoretical concerns of life as well as the practical matters like this. They offer us guidance on how to live our best lives and achieve true fulfillment. When Jesus encourages us to give without fanfare or expectation of reward, it's because He knows that money is a fleeting source of security.
The Illusion of Wealth
As Solomon noted in Proverbs 18:11, "A rich man's wealth is his strong city; like a high wall in his imagination." We perceive wealth to be some kind of protective barrier - a sort of sunscreen against the burning fire of needs. The more money we can slather on our fragile skin, the less likely we are to be left unprotected and in need of something we can’t provide for ourselves. But what if it’s just an illusion? I may admit that money cannot provide true peace or security. But when I see a bank statement, do I feel more or less secure? What feelings arise in my heart?
The Dangers of Unhealthy Relationships with Money
Many of us struggle to maintain healthy relationships with money due to its potential to breed anxiety and discontentment. As the Bible warns in 1 Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." This means that our pursuit of wealth can lead to greed, selfishness, and ultimately, spiritual decay. But that’s not the whole story.
The Power of Contentment
Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 offer us a powerful antidote to this mindset. He says,
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” (ESV)
In the midst of our fast-paced lives filled with advertisements and pressure to keep up appearances, it's easy to believe that there are many pathways to happiness — indeed there are. But contentment in God is the deeper bedrock foundation on which Jesus tells us to build our lives.
Reflections and Encouragement
As you reflect on these ideas, I encourage you to consider whether your relationship with money might be holding you back from experiencing God's best for your life. Embracing contentment is about recognizing that our worth and value come not from what we possess or achieve but rather from who we are in Christ. As you journey through life with me, I pray that you'll discover the joy of living a generous life free from the burdens of materialism and focused on cultivating true wealth – Godliness with contentment.