According to a 1997 article in the “New York Times,” Bill Gates, who was then worth $35 billion dollars, was speaking to an audience of 1,500 at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. After his presentation, Dr. John Kiley, a medical scientist stood up and asked this question: “Mr. Gates, If you were blind, and it took all your billions to restore your sight, would you pay that price?” Gates thought for a moment and then said that he would trade all his money for his sight. This points out the fact if people have their sight, their hearing, their ability to think and to wiggle their fingers, they have much for which to be thankful. And to that Paul might have added that if all he had were these things, he would be content. But remember, many experts think that Paul didn’t even have all of these – he may have been going blind.
In thanking his Philippian friends for their generous offering, Paul shares with us a handful of helpful thoughts. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And in verse 11 – “Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” In not one of these verses, or any of the other eight we just read, does Paul give us any exhortations. Not until verse 21 does Paul mildly command, “Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.” All the rest of his closing thoughts are either matters of fact or testimonies arising out of his own heart.
There is a lesson in that lack of exhortation. Does the Holy Spirit have to spell out everything for us, like a parent speaking to his adolescent child? Does He have to turn every helpful lesson into a command or order? Shouldn’t the testimony of God’s prophet or apostle be exhortation enough? “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” “Maybe you should work on that too.”
With WHAT had Paul learned this particular lesson? “In RESPECT of WANT.”
But actually, Paul puts it negatively, “NOT that I speak in RESPECT of WANT; I have learned … to be content.” “Want” was one of the lessons which taught him about contentment. Contentment isn’t to be compared to what we lack, but to what we possess in Christ.
This morning I was reading an ordination sermon delivered by Abraham Booth in 1785. He said to the young preacher: “A man’s HAPPINESS does not consist in THINGS, but in THOUGHTS. That abundance after which the carnal heart so eagerly pants, is adapted to gratify not the demands of reason; much less the dictates of conscience; nor yet the legitimate and sober claims of appetite; but a fond imagination; I have seen it reported of Socrates, the prince of pagan philosophers, that on beholding a great variety of costly and elegant articles exposed for sale, he explained, “How many things are here that I do not want.” Here was the Apostle Paul in this chapter – “There are a great many things I DO NOT WANT.” But having said that, earlier in his life the Holy Spirit lead him to say other things.
Experts tell us that both Corinthian letters they were written while Paul was in Philippi. That means they were penned much earlier than this letter being sent BACK to Philippi from Rome. And in I Corinthians 4 the Lord led Paul to talk about his “want.” “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.”
And in II Corinthians 11 he reminded them, “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.” There was a time and place for Paul to talk about his “want,” but not here in this epistle to the Philippians.
WHAT WAS IT that Paul had LEARNED between the writing of those letters to and from Philippi?
“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be CONTENT” – and what is that? The word Paul uses: “contentment” – speaks of self-sufficient and needing no outside support. The word literally refers to being independent of external circumstances, and thus satisfied with life. That may be the definition used by the average secular Greek, but of course Paul uses it in a narrower context – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Paul’s contentment was within the walls of the will, and strength, of God. He was like a lamb, happy to be in the Lord’s sheepfold. Psalm 23 was all his: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
In chapter 3:8 Paul says, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ…” He told Timothy, “We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” This sounds like what Job said, before his problems wore him down to a nub. “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” And regard to contentment Paul added, “Godliness with (that) contentment is great gain.” Great gain? There is wealth in being satisfied with whatever the Lord gives us – little or much. The contented soul is a wealthy soul. The truly wealthy can say, “I don’t need what the world is selling. I have the Lord Jesus Christ.” And then there is the statement in the Book of Hebrews. “Let your conversation be without covetousness” – “Live your life without envying the next person; and without wanting what he has.” “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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” With the Lord’s constant presence – never leaving us nor forsaking us, we have the ability to be “self-sufficient.”
HOW do you suppose Paul LEARNED this lesson of contentment?
This is an attitude not native to our fallen natures. And the world in which we live is designed to keep us from contentment. We are constantly being told that there is something else we absolutely must have. We just can’t live without the leeks and the garlics of worldly Egypt. We are like babies who aren’t content until their tummies are full and their diapers are changed. But how long does that contentment last?
I suppose there are a few things for which we should yearn. In I Corinthians 12 Paul says, “Covet earnestly the best gifs; and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” And what is that more excellent way, Paul? He says in the next chapter: “Faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” The best gifts are not better than faith, hope and charity. Perhaps, to be discontent at the level of our faith; at the level of our love – is not sin. And to grow in our knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord is not an evil thing. But as far as “things” are concerned “be content.”
And again, how did Paul learn this lesson? He doesn’t really tell us, but perhaps he hints at it. In the next verse he says, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all thing I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Did he learn contentment by being abased – humbled/humiliated? Perhaps, like Elijah, he learned to be satisfied by sitting beside the Brook Cherith with nothing to drink but that tiny trickle of water, and with nothing to eat but what ravens brought to him. He went from being like the daughters of Solomon’s horseleach, crying “Give, give,” to being like the widow in the temple who was delighted to give to the Lord out of her want.
Did the Lord have to command Paul – “Be content with such things as ye have”? Had God said, “Here is a lesson you need to share with the next generation?” Or had Paul simply learned things over the course of time and experience, and he knew this was important enough to share with us?
This is a lesson important to LEARN and to REMEMBER.
Today, you may be as snug as a bug in rug. You may be as content and happy as a well-fed baby laying in her mothers arms. If so, now is the time to learn the lesson of contentment. Because tomorrow you are going to need it.
Tomorrow, next week, or next year, you are going to hear a diagnosis which you don’t like. Your little bank account is going to dry up; your precious loved one is going to be taken from you. Tomorrow the training wheels are going to fall off your bike, and you’re going to have to learn to peddle. You are going to have a great deal of pressure put on you testing your contentment. Learn the lesson today, so that it will be a part of your heart for when you need it later.
Paul had learned, “in whatsoever state he was, THEREWITH to be content.” He could do it because THEREWITH him was his loving Saviour. And “We can do all things through Christ which strengtheth us.”