Godliness with contentment

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6
This verse comes in the middle of a short passage on the love of money and how people have corrupted themselves in seeking after wealth. Money is neutral and impassive. It is neither right nor wrong; neither is having a lot or a little money right or wrong. It’s how we allow ourselves to be affected by it. Eccl. 5:10 tells us, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.”
In contrast however, great gain is found in godliness, with contentment. Godliness is seeking to live up to God’s standards; that is, to live righteously. Everything we do, we do to please God. Not to please others, or please ourselves, or to gain riches, or to gain popularity. Seeking to live to please God means that we must let go of our selfishness, pride, and all the other traits of our fallen nature. Godliness with contentment, then, is to live in this way without bitterness, satisfied with God and with His lot for our lives. It means we don’t compare ourselves with others. If God does nothing else for us in our entire lives, He has still saved us from eternal torment. He deserves our undivided attention and affection. Put Him first – seek to live in godliness – and don’t concern yourself with anything else; what you have or what you don’t have. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).