"Today's Devotion": (08/13/03) Godliness With Contentment

Read: I Timothy 6:3-19 Philippians 4:10-13

GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT by Rev. Richard Boeck

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."(ITim.6:6-8)

"Surgeons operated on health hearts for profit, paper says." That's the lead line for an article in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel yesterday. According to the story, a group of heart surgeons in a hospital in California performed unnecessary procedures and even open heart surgeries and heart bypasses on perfectly healthy patients for profit. An internist cardiologist, some of whose patients had such surgeries performed after surgeons had said they were unnecessary, blew the whistle.

Now one might call this an aberration. After all, how often does this really happen? Unfortunately, as the Scriptures tell us, "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil"(ITim.6:10). Just look around and you'll see people, organizations, corporations, and even government making decisions based on what they can get out of it, especially when it comes to monetary gain. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with monetary gain for honest work and labor, for wise investing, and in endeavors that don't take advantage of others. But that's in a perfect world, with perfect people caring more about others than themselves. Pursuing wealth and riches for the sake of wealth and riches, has a terrible tendency to promote greed, avarice, and lack of love and concern for others.

St. Paul reminds us that the greatest gain in the world is to be a godly person. To put our lives into God's hands and trust Him for what we need, not for what we want. While it's not wrong to set goals to achieve business goals and personal goals, if those goals are at the expense of others or even our relationship with God, they are to be avoided at all costs. By the power of God's love, grace, and mercy in Jesus Christ, we are empowered as His children to live godly lives that are content with the necessities of life, rejoice in special blessings, and give generously of the great gain with which God may choose to bless us. If we pursue our goals in life from the perspective of serving God and sharing His love in Christ with others, then whatever we might gain in wealth will end up being used to His glory and for the benefit of others. In that we can rejoice and in that we can be content.

Prayer: Father, every where I look it seems as if the message of the world is that I should seek to have more, more, and more of everything. I find I'm not content to only do my best, glorifying You with my deeds and words, and helping others in need. I really want as much for myself as I can get. For this I ask Your forgiveness and the power of Your Spirit to help me overcome those temptations. Show me how, gracious Father, to love others in Your name and to be content, as St. Paul says, in plenty or in want. Remind me that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength," and I will be content. In Christ's most holy and precious name I pray. Amen.

--Pastor Boeck Copyright @2003. All rights reserved.

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