We identify contentment mostly with financial possessions - houses, cars, cash balances, assets and net worth. But contentment need not solely refer to financial aspects alone. It can also include what a person is endowed physically with, such as God given external appearance, health, abilities, talents, etc.
It is almost always certain when we are in the company of people who are either more beautiful, or taller, or lighter in complexion, or with lovely hair, or have a great voice, it tends to cause in us a sense of subtle envy. If we let these characteristics dent our self-esteem, or direct our behavior, Christ is not in us.
Imagine there is a person who is blind, or deaf or both. Will physical beauty or height or complexion or hair color or voice matter to this individual? Yet this person is made in the image of God, too.
We have learnt from the Bible, that God made us in His own image (Gen 1:27), no matter how we look. As Christians, we know what we can see with our eyes are temporary and what we don't see is eternal! Christian Contentment distinguishes those things that are eternal from those things that are temporal.
What should be more important to us than all the physical attributes of oneself is to realize about our heart and soul (these are figuratives for love and inner self/conscience). Where is our heart and soul now and where is to going to be? And ask God to remedy any misgiving or misplacement. Because He will help you realize if there is a REASON for your misgiving, it is called SIN. You cannot afford to take the doctrine of sin lightly. It will turn out to be a cause for a costly (eternal) error waiting to happen, and life comes at you fast, sometimes really too fast! Lest, you overlook.
-JD
It is almost always certain when we are in the company of people who are either more beautiful, or taller, or lighter in complexion, or with lovely hair, or have a great voice, it tends to cause in us a sense of subtle envy. If we let these characteristics dent our self-esteem, or direct our behavior, Christ is not in us.
Imagine there is a person who is blind, or deaf or both. Will physical beauty or height or complexion or hair color or voice matter to this individual? Yet this person is made in the image of God, too.
We have learnt from the Bible, that God made us in His own image (Gen 1:27), no matter how we look. As Christians, we know what we can see with our eyes are temporary and what we don't see is eternal! Christian Contentment distinguishes those things that are eternal from those things that are temporal.
What should be more important to us than all the physical attributes of oneself is to realize about our heart and soul (these are figuratives for love and inner self/conscience). Where is our heart and soul now and where is to going to be? And ask God to remedy any misgiving or misplacement. Because He will help you realize if there is a REASON for your misgiving, it is called SIN. You cannot afford to take the doctrine of sin lightly. It will turn out to be a cause for a costly (eternal) error waiting to happen, and life comes at you fast, sometimes really too fast! Lest, you overlook.
-JD
