Being content

“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:8-9
There are a number of passages in the Bible that concern contentment, and this is one of them. It’s interesting to note that it was written by Solomon – at one time the richest man in the world. He knew what it meant to be rich, and all the pressures that come with having much wealth and many possessions. He knew full well the danger he was in of trusting in his wealth instead of trusting in the Lord. In the early part of his life it seems he managed to avoid falling into this trap, but towards the end of his life, after he had amassed many wives and done everything his heart desired, his relationship with God had suffered greatly. Riches themselves are not evil; they can be a great tool to enable ministry to happen. The problem is our attitude towards them.
But the converse is also true: poverty can also be a problem in our relationship with the Lord, if we seek to correct it through our own means (e.g. stealing) instead of trusting in God to provide for us. The best path, Solomon says, is to have enough for today. This is reminiscent of the Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:11).
Paul also understood the value of being content with what we have: “I am not saying this because I am in need, 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” (Phil. 4:11-13). Being content is an attitude we can decide to have. Have you learned the secret of being content?