Being Humble in Blessings
Have you ever met someone that complained that they never succeeded at anything and that they weren’t any good. Then they suddenly achieve something great and all of a sudden, they are a pain to be around. They want everyone to know what they did. It is sometimes easier to be humble when we don’t have much, for what do we have to boast about... and yet even then, the human nature tends to find someone that we can still be better than. Our second lesson tomorrow is from 1 Timothy chapter 6. It starts in verse 6 saying, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” If it is true godliness, it seems that contentment is part of the fruit of that faith, but apparently, even then, our sinful nature can create issues. I can’t help but think about Job, maybe the richest man in the Old Testament, when he lost his livestock, servants, and children, all on one day. His response was, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise be to God”. Even in great loss, he found strength and hope in God. If you need more than God and His word to be content, you might need a faith lift. Money is one of the most mentioned topics in the Bible and yet it is one of the least talked about. God makes it very clear that seeking after riches has been the downfall of many people. Actually, we can go back to the garden. Eve (and Adam) listened to the serpent and then found herself not feeling content, for she longed to be wiser, knowing things that God knows. Coveting things that we do not have can be a very dangerous pursuit... one that might destroy us. It is that love of money that will get us every time. Timothy is told to flee from this temptation with the words, “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Replace that desire with something that is better and more satisfying. A few verses later we read, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment”. We are to be rich in deeds, being generous and willing to share. We may have longed to be rich, but with wealth comes great responsibility. Be content in all things. Father, I hear the voice of the world telling me to seek my own desires, but Your desire is that we always walk according to Your word. Amen