Philippians 4:11-13

...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have. ~unknown source

We live within an economic system that depends on you being discontent. In order for our country to prosper (so we are told) we all need to acquire more stuff. Buying and consuming more things will stimulate the economy, get people back to work, make you happy and demonstrate to everyone that YOU are on the path to success. So upgrade that old TV, your clothes, your car and your kitchen appliances. Shop to fill the emptiness within; crave and pursue the short-lived thrill that comes from getting a new toy. THAT’S real living!

Advertisers do a great job of creating a sense of need in us- every day we are bombarded with hundreds of ads- on TV, radio, Facebook, internet search engines and billboards. Why even my Kindle flashes up an ad when it goes into hibernation. But they don’t call it advertising, they call it “special offers.”

We may say that these ads have little effect on us, but are you sure? What is the cumulative effect of thousands upon thousands of ads telling us we need more and would be happier, more desirable, sexier and more respected if we upgraded our vehicle or bought a new brand of toothpaste? For every hour we watch TV, 18 minutes is devoted to advertisements. There’s a reason that CBS charged $3,000,000 for a thirty second ad during the Super Bowl and corporations spent billions in advertising. These companies are onto something… and as a result we walk around with a skewed sense of need.

I’m not saying all of this to rant against our country or society (I am quite happy to live in America and have modern conveniences). But sometimes it helps to acknowledge the obvious. Much like a fish in the ocean has no sense that that it is swimming in salt water, as Christians we often operate uncritically within our environment. So let us state it plainly and for the record:

Buying a new ______________ (fill in the blank, here) will not make you happier, sexier or one bit more sophisticated. Replacing your ____________  (fill in the blank again) will not make you a better, more satisfied person or fill your life with meaning. It may add momentary spark to your life, but much like trying to survive on chocolate bars, trying to extract spiritual nourishment from things leaves your soul vulnerable, weak and flabby. 

The Christian perspective is clear. Contentment is something we learn. It has little to do with our outward prosperity for Paul often found himself in a variety of circumstances- in need and in plenty, well fed and hungry- and yet he practiced contentment in every situation. In all of these conditions a believer can choose contentment because we already have all we need.

The “secret,” of being content in every situation, as Paul puts it, is that in Jesus all of our needs are already met. He is our strength, our source, our identity. Relationship with him provides a satisfaction and contentment that things can never buy.

The values of God’s kingdom run counter to this world. Our desire for affluence and the constant pursuit of more stuff points to a deeper and more enduring need- a hunger for God and his kingdom. That alone satisfies.

As Jesus said: Man does not live on bread alone, buton every word that comes from the mouth of God.(Matthew 4:4). As we live in the most prosperous society in the history of the world we can shine the light of Jesus through cultivating contentment.