Are You Content?

 

On the sixth day of creation, God made all the dryland creatures and man. In the first hour, among other animals, God created the cow. God said, “You must go to the field with the farmer all day long, suffer under the hot sun, have calves, and give milk to support the farmer. I will give you a lifespan of sixty years.” The cow said, “That’s kind of a tough life you want me to have for sixty years. Let me have twenty years and I’ll give back forty.” God agreed. In the second hour God created dog. He said, “Sit by the door of your house all day and bark at anyone who comes in or walks by. I will give you a lifespan of twenty years.” The dog said, “That’s too long to be barking. How about you give me ten years and I’ll give you back ten.” God agreed. In the third hour God created the monkey and God said, “Entertain people. Do monkey tricks, make them laugh, and I will give you a twenty-year lifespan.” The monkey said, “How boring to do monkey tricks for twenty years. The dog gave you back ten years and that’s what I would like to do also.” God agreed. In the fourth hour God created man. God said, “Eat, sleep, play, enjoy. Do nothing. Just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and I’ll give you twenty years.” And the man said, “What! Only twenty years? Tell you what, I’ll take my twenty and the forty the cow gave back, and the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back. That makes eighty, okay?” God said, “You’ve got a deal!” So, that’s why for the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, enjoy and do nothing. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain our grandchildren, and for the next ten years we sit at the front door barking at everybody that visits us or just passes by.

[Philippians 4:11-13] Two little teardrops were floating down the river of life. One asked the other, “Who are you?” “I’m a teardrop from a girl who loved a man and lost him. Who are you?” The first replied, “I’m a teardrop from the girl who got him.”

Life is like that. We cry over the things we cannot have, but we might cry twice as much if we receive them. A man won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania Lottery in 1988. One would think that such a windfall would have brought him all kinds of rewards, but it did not. From the day he won his world began to collapse. He was sued. Was arrested for assault. His brother was arrested for plotting to kill him. His wife left him. His winnings were lost in court battles with his ex-wife and the State of Pennsylvania. He would have been better off not winning at all. And this is not at all an unusual lottery winning result.

It is indeed possible to weep as much or more after receiving as having never received at all. Unless we are talking about what Jesus offers. Paul wrote: “…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” This text bears out the value of contentment. Paul says that no matter what his circumstances, he is content. Whether he wins an earthly prize or not, he is content. How did he gain such contentment? It is through Jesus. He said, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” I wish we could all learn this. It is not what we gain, materially, in life that provides inner peace, joy and self-worth. It is what happens on the inside. It is about the choices we make. It is about how much we are letting Jesus influence our lives. Jesus offers us eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection – His blood sacrifice to God for the sins of the world, because He loves us. There is no compromise - heaven or hell for eternity - all in or nothing - it’s up to you.