Appeal
Are you content?
Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:11-13
There is a difference between being happy and being content.
One may desire a great deal to claim to be happy, while contentment can come with very little.
In today's reading, Paul is asking for money and thanking the church for sending it to him, but in the process, he claims to be content with whatever he has. Whether he has much or little, he can be content, and he is thankful.
It is a good strategy, one that probably worked quite well. Who wouldn't send money knowing it would be well appreciated and not squandered?
Most people who ask me for money don't ask for a lot. Two dollars for the bus or a few to get medicine are common requests.
What they really want is to talk, to have someone who will listen for a few minutes, giving them a chance to release the pain and shed a tear.
They are not seeking contentment, nor do they expect to attain happiness.
Our mission is to feed the hungry, and we do that with love each day. But we do so much more than just hand out meals. We take time to get to know the people we serve, and that makes the time we spend together special for all involved.
While I know what little we do is not enough to change lives, I come away with an appreciation for all I have, and I realize that I, like Paul, am quite content.
So what is the key to contentment?
I think it is spending time with others and getting to know them. For in knowing each other, we can love one another, and in loving one another, we find joy.
More to come...