Contentment In The Basics

“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1Ti 6:8-9 AV)

 

Food and raiment are the two most basic needs of all people.  Raiment simply means a covering.  Mostly, this word is used for clothing.  It can have an extended meaning of a home or cover from threats or the environment. Yet, in our passage, it has the simple meaning of clothes.  What we want to consider is the following verse.  Verse nine indicates the pursuit of riches, or, those who have the overriding desire or compulsion to acquire all things above one’s basic needs is a temptation and snare. Paul is not suggesting owning a home, a car, a phone, or anything beyond food and raiment is wrong.  The tense of the phrase ‘that will be’ suggests no matter how much they acquire, they never consider themselves rich.  The motive is discontentment.  The problem is not being satisfied with basic needs.  The pursuit of all things one’s money or efforts can buy is the issue.

There was a board game we used to play when we were kids.  It is called the game of life. The object of the game was to get through life with the most money in the end.  Each play would start out in his or her own little car.  There was one peg at the driver’s wheel.  There were different roads one could travel.   However, some unavoidable events of life would happen regardless of the path taken.  One was marriage.  Another was paying taxes.  There were some windfalls, some investment opportunities, and some unplanned expenses. There was annual rent or mortgage that needed to be paid.  Utilities came due.  At the end of the game, you had to pay for your funeral expenses, life insurance was cashed in, and investments matured.  The winner of the game was the individual who acquired the most wealth along the way.  It is a good game to play with young people so they can see the realities of life.  If we can instill in them the idea that life takes planning, as they age, perhaps they will make some wise choices.  But life doesn’t always work that way.  What is not part of the game is the opportunity to acquire more debt that one can handle.  That is, one could acquire a mortgage, but the only way to default would be an adverse event like a layoff.  There was no way to acquire debt and live beyond one’s means.  That would be the coup de grace of this game.  What a lesson that would teach our young people.  If they could recognize that pleasures often cause grief if they cannot be justified in the budget, then perhaps when they balanced their own checkbook, they wouldn’t want the newest cell phone.

This temptation is not limited to undisciplined children.  This temptation is just as much trouble for fully matured adults.  Some seek wealth because they grew up poor and never want to experience that pain again.  Some seek riches because it feeds the pride.  Others may pursue bounty because they are bored.  Whatever the reason, discontentment is the reason.  Being content with the bare necessities is the victory over a budget that cannot be balanced.  It is a lesson our nation needs to learn, but I fear will not.  We are headed to financial destruction because we believe heaven can be gained on earth.  We want free everything without any input of our own.  We can look at the world and see them making a mistake of which we are also guilty.  When we live beyond our means or are discontented with the lack of material wealth we possess, we have not taken Paul’s advice.  We will fall into diverse temptations and a life of trouble if we do not learn to be content.