The Source of Contentment Is Jesus

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." -- Hebrews 13:5

One day, going to lunch at a nearby pizza place, I thought about contentment, or satisfaction, a lot.  I wrote down a few notes with the intention of putting all this in a book.  I've said in this blog that I might do a post on contentment, and tonight, I decided to give it a shot.

The tentative title of the first chapter is "The Source of Contentment is Jesus".  Now, of course, presuming I write, finish, and publish the book, that this chapter will be released to the public for free, since it speaks of the Bible, and I don't want to make merchandise of the Word of God (2 Corinthians 2:17).

So, why do I say that the source of contentment is Jesus?  Because this world is full of dissatisfaction.  Even Mick Jagger said in the title song, "I can't get no satisfaction".  It seems that everyone, especially in developed countries like the USA, are always striving for the next big thing in their lives, whether it be a better paying job, a nicer house, a nicer car, etc.  I too once bought into the lie of the "American Dream".

Then, like in the lyrics to the theme song to "Friends", "it's like you're always stuck in second gear, when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year..."  

I didn't get a job in my college major.

I didn't move out, either during college (the school was blocks away from home), or after college.

I didn't get married.

I didn't get to have righteous sex.  (I'm just being honest, my desire to be a father was secondary to my desire for the ever elusive dangling "pleasure of pleasures" (what I called it), I might do a post about the modern church's culture on sex, which had a HUGE effect on me)

So, I was especially dissatisfied with life, given that I also had tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

How then did I learn to be content with my life?  Firstly, it was a biblical command to do so, reinforced by some preachers from time to time.  

Now, I did have a positive attitude in the first few years after college, thinking that since I started at the bottom (due to the 2008 recession), the only direction to go is up.  With the exception of some theophobic scrupulosity in the early 2010s, when I learned that modern Christianity is a big lie that sends people to Hell, I was generally OK with my life.

On Marriage

Then, one of my cousins, who I never thought would get married, got married.  I was the oldest in my generation in that side of the family who was still single, 2nd oldest in my generation overall.  That, with also battling lust led me to actively find a wife.  Not "get married", but "find a wife".  I was determined.  I used I Corinthians 7 as my key Scripture in this "epic quest for the blessed fountain" (see Proverbs 5:18).

There was one preacher (who I later found to be false) named Vaughn Ohlman who even offered a practical opportunity for me to find a wife, but after arguing about dating, which he believed was unbiblical (in fact, the Bible never mentions it explicitly), I stopped listening to him.  He even taught that you can marry an unbeliever, twisting the words of I Corinthians 7:11-16!  He explained away 2 Corinthians 6:14, that speaks of "not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers" with the previous Scripture. 

Anyway, dozens of women and three actual physical meetings with two people later,  I was content with singleness, although not instantly.  It took more study of Scripture, such as Proverbs 21:9 and 25:24, which says:

"It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman (and) in a wide house."

Proverbs 25:24 in the KJV adds the word "and".

And of course the recommendation by Paul for single people to stay single in I Corinthians 7 helped as well.

In essence, Scripture (whom Jesus also is, says John 1:1, John 1:14, I John 1:1, I John 5:7, Revelation 19:13) led me to contentment.

On Living With My Parents

As for living at home, there were many pieces of Scripture that I studied in order to calm my dissatisfaction.  

Firstly, there's the example of Jacob and his sons in Genesis 37 - 50.  Generally, they all lived together (even with a long foot commute to and from Egypt).  In fact, one of them is listed as having children of his own:

"And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again." -- Genesis 42:37

Thus, multi-generational living is a thing, albeit not always under the threat of death.

Secondly, there's the command to provide for your family:

"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." -- I Timothy 5:8

It's easier to do this if you all live together.  A provider is the OPPOSITE of a sponge.  Besides, in Mark 7:9-13, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for disobeying the command to honor their father and mother for the sake of "Corban".  In this passage, and similar ones in Matthew 15:3-6, the context of "honor thy father and mother" is supporting them, helping them, providing for them, etc.

In the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge entry for Mark 7:11, the author calls "corban":

"a formula common among the Jews on such occasions; by which the Pharisees released a child from supporting his parents; and even deemed it sacrilege if he afterwards gave anything for their use."

So, those two pieces of Scripture wisdom, in addition to the greatly decreasing stigma of living at home, helps in my contentment in this manner.

I say it again: The source of contentment is Jesus.  He commands it, and He shows you how to do it.

Other Works Cited:

Bagster, Samuel. Edited by R. A. Torrey.

TSK Cross References, from e-Sword by Rick Meyers.

Why I Changed A Few Things On Facebook

 In a word...humility.

This may have been a part of it:  I attended a Sunday School today, and one of the Scriptures mentioned was the following:

Deu 8:18  But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 

In other words, the ability to make money does not come from you.  All your skills, all your talents, comes from the Lord.  Correct me if I'm wrong (Proverbs 6:23)

As many of you know, I am a school custodian.  Many months ago, I was left short-handed, becoming the only official custodian of the building.  With the exception of some help here and there, I am still the only custodian of the building.  At first, I worked plenty of overtime.  Now, I work less, because I have learned to be more efficient.  This made me somewhat prideful in my heart (Proverbs 16:18).

Sunday School reminded me of that.  

Now, on to what I was going to talk about:

On my Facebook page, I used to have a picture of plastic canvas pieces that read "28 28", referring to Job 28:28:

Job 28:28  And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” 

I also mentioned in my bio that I am a God Fearer and Lucky.  The "Lucky" comes from the following:

Ecc 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 

I'm still willing to acknowledge that I'm lucky, for we all are.  And I still believe in the concept of fearing God.  We should fear God, mainly because:

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 

Yet, I also believe in not being a hypocrite, as is written here:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

(Mat 7:1-5)

Now, I still believe that "Judge not" doesn't mean "Judge never" as shown in this post here.  Even in this Scripture, Jesus permits one to "cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye".  Why does one do this, unless it's a problem?

So what's the deal?  Do I no longer fear God?  I surely hope not.  I surely hope my fear of God (which is a LITERAL DREAD (Isaiah 8:13)) remains.  Yet, I would be so heartbroken to be found a hypocrite if I do anything that suggests I don't fear God.  

I'm not perfect.  My struggle is just like what Paul is saying here:

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

(Rom 7:18-25)

So, yeah.  That's what's going on.  I haven't abandoned the faith.  I'm just being honest with myself.  Only God knows if I'm being faithful.  I hope and pray that I still am so.