How to Be Rich With Little



How to Be Rich With Little
I Timothy 6:6-11

What a wonderful tradition of having this service and the meal that follows in our church.  The giving of thanks is a wonderful spiritual discipline that has the effect of cleansing our souls of the discontent that so often poisons our spirit.  I don’t think you can be gloomy and thankful at the same time. 

In his letter of instruction to his disciple in ministry, the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy with these words:

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Discontentment and its evil cousin, jealousy, are a blight on the soul and a slap in the face of God.  At its root, it is unbelief, plain and simple.  When we are discontent we don’t believe that God is good or fair.  We accuse him of breaking his promises and of being unjust.  I’ve been there.  I’ve nurtured and coddled jealousy in my soul. And I’ve been a miserable mess.

What is the antidote for such misery?  How can you be rich when you have very little?  Contentment.  Paul wrote that contentment is a “great gain.”  The writer of Hebrews prescribed, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”’ (Hebrews 13:5).  Pastor Chuck Swindoll remarked that “the good life exists only when we stop wanting a better one.  The itch for things is a virus draining the soul of contentment” (Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotes, p. 119).

So how do we cultivate this wonderful state of contentment?  It starts with exactly with what we have been doing – giving thanks.  Let thanksgiving flow from your heart and through your lips.  Not only will it be a blessing to God, but it will bring real contentment and joy to your soul as well.  This is God’s plan for you and me.  The Scriptures plainly say, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thess. 5:18).



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