What Do You Value?

I value all sorts of things. I value my wife, I think she is both smart and amazing and is of greater value than I deserve. Thank You, Jesus, for my wife. I value moral purity, that is why I have the tech people at my church come to my home and audit my computer to make sure that I am not surfing inappropriate websites and falling for a cheap substitute when I already have the God-given gift of a precious and godly wife. I value my children because they are walking pictures of me and therefore you should pray for them. I value God because He first loved me, and I will never understand why He loves me, I am just thankful. Because I value God, I think it is important to value the Bible, which is God’s letter to us, and if I truly value God and His Word, I should read it, know what it says and be willing to do what it asks me to do even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. 

friend, what do you value? friend, are you content?

When I say contentment, I am not talking about simply “settling.” Some people think contentment occurs when we finally resign ourselves to a life that isn’t going to change, we shrug and say, “Okay…I’ll be content, I don’t like it, but I’ll be content.”  That is not contentment! 

People who are content have answered life’s ultimate value questions. They have stated, “I acknowledge that nothing I have belongs to me.  All of this stuff is God’s, and I am a steward of His gift. I have chosen God as the King of all stuff, mine included, and therefore I will invest myself in the two things that He says will last forever: His Word and people.”  

That is contentment. Contentment is not about getting what you want, it's about being satisfied with what you have. Which leads us to a question….friend, why should you value contentment? God tells us that there are three truths to leading a contented life:

friend, content people know when to say, “Enough!”

“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, NIV)  

What is the most common solution to money problems in our world today? Make more! I’ll take on a second job, work overtime, forget the family, as long as I have more, then everything will turn out fine. Solomon had all the riches in the world, and he tells us someone chasing more will never be content.

friend, content people know that contentment comes from the inside out.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV)  

Paul describes life here. He says I’ve been stuffed and starved! I’ve had lots and little, but I’ve always been content. Paul knew that life was full of challenges and that he had to find a value that overrode even the greatest of changes. Paul knew what it was to have it all and to have nothing. This verse was written in the context of finances. If my money fails—I can do all things. If my house gets blown away by a wind—I can do all things. If my boss is a jerk and I want to quit—I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

friend, content people know the traps of financial independence.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NIV) 

We hear those first verses all the time, but I want to focus on the last part of the last verse.  Paul was a pastor. Whenever you hear a pastor say “some people” his heart is broken. They have wandered from the faith, they have chosen something to be more important than God, they have left Jesus out, and knowingly, willfully “pierced themselves with many griefs.”

friend, do you have your money or does your money have you? Are you content? Truly content? Have you answered the ultimate “value” question? 

The purpose of teaching stewardship is not to get your money; it’s to ensure that your money doesn’t get you!

You are a miracle!