Contentment: (n.) satisfaction; ease of mind

On a regular basis, we travel to the nearby pueblo of El Tizate. At the beginning of a recent visit, we stopped to visit with “Juan” out on the sidewalk.  Our purpose in El Tizate that day was to meet with the mom of a brand new baby but God decided to use this trip as an opportunity to teach us about the ever-elusive character trait: contentment.

Juan was ecstatic to see us and as he ran up he was carrying a plastic bag. Not a big deal to us, but a very big deal to him. You see, that thin plastic bag contained his treasures and he wanted to show us what he had. Juan’s treasures included bottle caps, pieces of plastic, a bead bracelet, and a few other items that we would typically call trash. Juan was not only content with what he had, he was excited!

Paul encourages us by his own example in his letter to the Philippians:

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.   Philippians 4:12

Juan certainly lives in “want” from a North American perspective, which makes his example of humble joy a challenge to each of us. Am I content with my plastic bag of “stuff” or do I think I need more? How about you?

Bottom line is: it doesn’t matter if you live in Guatemala or in the richest county in the US, we all need to learn this secret that Paul and Juan have obviously already mastered.

This post is taken directly from our March/April 2011 Newsletter. For more click here!