# 442 The Proverbs – ‘A manual for living’ (MSG). Proverbs 15 (4). Contentment – that’s better!

Presently in Australia, we are being inundated with politics, different from what we saw in the USA last year, but still politics, Aussie style! The emphasis is of course on economics – who will take Australia ahead in the areas of finance and business, imports and exports, etc; who will address the cost-of-living crisis; who will provide the resources for the shortage of available housing; and a few other relevant topics like crime prevention, health, education, immigration, international aid, border security and jobs.

All this in a country which “has strong competitive advantages in its skills, research base, political and legal institutions and high standards of living. 12th largest economy in the world. 9th highest GDP per capita in the world and 3rd highest among the world’s largest 20 economies.”  www.dfat.gov.au All that for only a total population of 26.9 million people.

The question is, will we ever be satisfied? Will we ever be content with what we have? Why do we always feel we need more? When is enough, enough? Particularly when there are 195 nations in the world and, according to the statistics above, we are basically in the top 10 of the wealthiest nations on earth. The gap between the rich and the poor daily continuing to grow worldwide.

So, what does Proverbs 15 have to say about this age-old issue of contentment? Here are a few examples:

¹⁶ Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.

¹⁷ Better a small serving of vegetables with love
    than a fattened calf with hatred.

Other:

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.  (Psalm 37:16-17)

Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.  (Proverbs 17:1)

Tim Costello wrote a book called “Hope – moments of inspiration in a challenging world” when he was the leader of World Vision Australia (Hardie Grant Books, 2012). In the book he talks of the aid and development this organisation does worldwide to help the poor and those devastated by war and natural disasters. Having seen poverty at its worst around the world, he speaks of yet another type of “poverty” back home (in the west) and that being a “a poverty of relationships.” He says there has often been “a trade-off where community diminishes with growing speed and affluence.” He mentioned the example of a TV program when “some Delhi slum-dwellers were taken to London for two weeks… They met people in their homes, local councils, sporting and community groups.” Costello says that “it was fascinating to watch them get interviewed at the end of the trip… their consensus was that they must do something to help those poor people [of London]. They were so lonely and so bereft of community.”  They would have agreed with the author of Ecclesiastes when he said:

Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.  (Ecclesiastes 4:6)

The New Testament also has its say on this vital subject as follows:

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ 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)

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² 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. ¹³ I can do all this through [Christ] who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:11-13)

How are you going? Have you learnt yet to be content whatever the circumstances? Paul’s secret was in verse 13 – I can do all this through [Christ] who gives me strength.