The Glory of God: The Secret of Contentment
Like many biblical ideals, contentment is a “narrow way” ethic. On one side of the path, contentment dies when it falls into the ditch of apathy. Lazy, unimaginative complacency isn’t biblical contentment, no matter how pleased such a person is with himself. Meanwhile, opposite to apathy is a passionate, driven sort of ambition that is never satisfied with anything and is marked by criticism and complaint. In that way also, contentment tumbles into the other ditch.
In other words, Christlike contentment can say, “Not my will but yours be done” with one breath and then express a rebuke in the next: “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:42, 48). Discontentment, then, is a two-faced distortion of Christlike meekness and righteousness.
In his final word to the faithful, yet anxious and hard-pressed Philippians, the apostle Paul helps us “look further down the row” (like farmers who want to drive straight rows in their fields) of the narrow way of contentment. Just like Jesus, Paul fixes his eyes on the glory of God, and it keeps him from stumbling into lazy or grumbling discontentment.
Learning the Secret
The Philippians have sent Paul a gift in his imprisonment, and Paul closes his letter with a very live example for them to practice what they’ve seen in him (v. 10). He wants to express two things — the guard rails on either side of contentment’s narrow way: independence from earthly goods, and praising praiseworthy deeds. These twin guards run a straight line to God’s glory. That’s the secret of contentment, the narrow way’s focal point: “to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Independence from Earthly Goods
Paul’s wisdom sparkles in this paragraph. Elsewhere, he tells us that he strives to be free from the dominion of earthly things (1 Cor 6:12) and under the slavery of Christ Jesus’ benevolent Lordship (Romans 6:16-18). But here he tells us that abundance is just as harsh a master as need, hunger, and humiliation, and Paul endures either extreme through the one who strengthens him, the God of peace who guards hearts (Philippians 4:7).
Have you ever met a discontented rich person? They aren’t hard to find in the Western world; ask anybody with a smartphone why they needed an upgrade and listen closely. Have you ever met an embittered poor person? You’ll know you’ve come face to face with them when you hear somebody comment on another’s good fortune with that sardonic “must be nice.” Sometimes, the embittered poor are not that poor after all, are they?
Remember the glory of God. With no place to rest his head, Jesus Christ died naked and alone without even a tunic to his name. No man was ever so blessed by God as the incarnate Lord upon the tree. So that next time you wish your phone had the obviously new arrangement of lenses just like your neighbors, you can do all things through him who strengthens you.
Praising Praiseworthy Deeds
Now, Paul has seemingly set us all on a path to vows of Franciscan poverty. You might be tempted to sell your phones, junk your cars, and go live on the streets with a cardboard gospel. There can be no hard lefts on the narrow way of contentment. But Paul redirects with an amazing sentence:
“Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.”
In other words, Paul loved the way their gift could fuel gospel ministry to their account. He sees that their generosity is a well-pleasing act of worship in God’s service. There’s the secret to a reliable car, functional cell phone, big house, or multiple copies of God’s Word. You must submit your earthly goods to praiseworthy deeds.
Can that big house host more discipleship? Can that reliable car get your children to church safely week after week? Does that cellphone take pictures that remind you to give thanks for God’s generous, loving care?
Seek those praiseworthy deeds that abound to the glory of God in mission, discipleship, and devotion. Apply your ambition to God’s glory, not your material satisfaction or convenience, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly true satisfaction flows from heaven.
The Master’s Contentment
Once, Judas Iscariot, mastered by earthly things, was discontentedly offended by Jesus as a woman spent a year’s wages to anoint the feet of Jesus with oil and tears. But Jesus said, “What she has done is a beautiful thing… to prepare me for burial” (Matthew 26:6-13). Jesus could always see the bigger — more glorious — picture, couldn’t he?
May His grace be with your spirit.