Contentment

OPENING THOUGHT

Tommy Lasorda was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  In his first twelve seasons the Dodgers won six division titles, four pennants, and two World Series.  Lasorda credited his success in motivating people to a can of evaporated milk he spotted on the kitchen table when he was fifteen.  It said, “Contented cows give better milk.”  Lasorda said, “I am of the belief that contented people give better performances.”  His success came from his ability to make baseball fun and instill pride in his organization.

So many people are unhappy. They look for fulfillment through pleasure, wealth, human relationships, and success, but they find that even when they achieve these things, something is missing.

Needing contentment? God has the solution!

EXPLORING THE TEXT

Proverbs 30:15-16

• Why do you think Agur chose the image of a leech?  What are the names of the leech’s two daughters?  What do they represent?  Discuss each item on his list.  What do all four of them have in common?

• In his poetical way, Agur is pointing us towards contentment and looks at it in terms of being able to say “enough.” 

Philippians 2:3-8, 14-16

• Why does selfishness rob our contentment? What is the alternative, according to Paul (vv. 3-4).

• Paul gives Christ as the model for the proper Christian mindset (vv. 5-8). Do you think Christ was content? Why do we have such a hard time following his example of love and humility?

• Why should we stop complaining? (vv. 14-15).

Does God want us to be happy?

What do the following passages say?

• Psalm 100

• John 16:20-24

• Hebrews 13:5-6

• 1 Peter 1:8-9

Biblical Contentment

What kind of contentment does God promise?  Does he guarantee comfort?  Does he shield us from suffering and persecution?  Does he promise we will have every indulgence?  Study the following words and phrases to get a clear picture of what biblical contentment is. Read each passage, allowing the context to help you understand the true nature of biblical contentment.

• “I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).  What doesn’t the psalmist want?

• “Contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6-8; 2 Cor. 12:9) – from arkeo, meaning “to be sufficient, to be possessed of sufficient strength, to be strong, to be enough for a thing” (Vine’s).

• “Blessed” (Matt. 5:3-12; Ps. 1:1-3; Rev. 14:13) – from makarios, “Makarios then describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life” (Barclay).  Question: How does “blessed” compare with “content?”

• “Joy” (Phil. 1:3-5; 4:4; James 1:2-3; 1 Pet. 4:12-13) – from chara: “As an antonym of grief and sorrow…chara denotes joy, happiness, gladness.  It can refer to feelings  and can result from circumstances (Jn. 16:21), but for the believer, it is continual because of our relationship with Christ (1 Pet. 1:8)” (Mounce).