Free To Be Content Series

1) People matter more than things. In vs:16 of this chapter Paul says, "..for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need." Then he adds in vs:17- "not that I am looking for a gift.." You see for Paul the Philippian people meant more to him then the things they had sent. He was glad to get it but he didn’t need it. As you mature you begin to feel sorry for those who are caught up in the rat race of impressing others. Rudyard Kipling speaking to a graduating class at Yale University said, "Some day your going to meet somebody who doesn’t care that much for wealth or fame or personal attention. And your going to realize just how poor you really are." Being content is having the attitude that helping others is what really lasts, serving is what really provides greatness.

2) As you mature in Christ the spirit matters more than the flesh. Paul’s body was not in good shape. The Bible teaches us that his vision was going, some think he had migraine headaches and yet here he saying he’s learned to be content. He could say that because the inner man was more important to him than the outer man. Now, our culture places an inordinate emphasis on the body. We’ve got tanning salons and million dollar fitness centers and cosmetic surgery. And some of that is okay because the Bible says we should take care of our bodies but Paul also wrote to Timothy:

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things..." (1 Tim. 4:8) As you mature the inner man ought to become more and more important to you. Your contentment is more and more based on the spiritual. Jesus made it very clear that true beauty doesn’t come from without but from within.

And lastly, as you mature in Christ, eternity ought to matter more than time. When Paul wrote these verses in Philippians. he realized that he may never get out of prison but he was still content. Because he realized there was something beyond the grave. As you mature in Christ this world will means less and less. You can feel it and see it and touch it but it’s temporary. As Paul said in 2 Cor. "16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:16-18) What is unseen becomes your focal point. Christ, people who have died, heaven. That’s what is real. And there is a special contentment in the maturing Christian for you realize that there is a hope that can never be taken away.

Haddon Robinson tells the story of young Chinese boy who wanted to learn all about jade. He went to an old teacher who specialized in the beautiful gem and asked him to teach him. The old man agreed. In lesson 1 the old man placed a piece of the precious stone into the young man’s hand and told him to hold it tight. Then the old teacher began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour, the teacher took the stone from the boy and sent him home, telling him to return the next day. The boy was confused but thought surely the next day would be different. But the procedure was repeated the next day and then for several weeks, each time with a different piece of jade. He wanted to be polite to his venerable teacher but finally after weeks of this he was going to quit. He came into the lesson, sat down and the old man put a strange stone into his hand and instinctively the boy said, "Hey, that’s not jade!" To which the teacher replied.. "Now, you are ready to work with the precious stone, for now, you recognize the genuine." Do you? Or are you trying to base your contentment on all the counterfeit things this world offers? If you want to live a satisfied life than you must recognize the genuine... the cornerstone.. Jesus Christ. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.. For .. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."