by Jefferson David Tant
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994

Within the context of Philippians 4:10-20, are these words: "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).

In August, 1993, while driving a rental van picking up students for our Vacation Bible Study in Montego Bay, Jamaica, I noticed two or three adults and several children walking from the hills down to town. I stopped and gave them a ride, and from that meeting, eventually got Sandra Green and her children to attend our VBS and gospel meeting.

One day I received consent for my wife and myself to come visit her. Flora and I arrived at the appointed time, blew the horn, and watched as Sandra picked her way down a rocky crag from her home. She then led us up a twisted and rocky path to her home, which boasted a spectacular view of the bay far below. But that was about all that was positive about her surroundings.

Sandra has five children of her own. and has taken in a child whose mother died, and whose father did not want her. Sandra is 30. Her husband abandoned her and gives no support. She said one night, one of her friends came to visit and spent the night with them. The three adults slept in one bed, and in the night, she found her husband committing adultery with her friend. Well, so much for faithful husbands!

I have become acquainted with poverty in the West Indies, but I don’t know that I had come face to face with it as on this occasion. The "house" (or shack) was made from scrap lumber, zinc, cardboard, and castoff metal sheets from the newspaper printing press. It measured 8x10, with a cooking area (with a one-burner kerosene stove) attached to one side of the house, and the dishwashing area was outside on a board attached to two trees. No electricity. No water. The furniture consisted of two beds - a double and a single. Except for a couple of rickety chairs, that was it.

But there was something that was impressed upon us even more than this scene of abject, hopeless poverty that surrounded us. As Sandra opened the door and we stepped inside, one of the first things I saw was a little hand-lettered poster she had pasted to the wall. In bold letters, it said, “Thank you, Lord. My needs are met, and healing is mine. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus." What would you have done when confronting that? I’ll tell you what I did. I wept.

And what does that say to you? We live in the most affluent generation and society the earth has known. Yet, how is it that so many are never satisfied, even among us, the children of God? And how is it that the apostle Paul could be "languishing" in a prison cell and yet say, "I have all things, and abound: I am filled..." (Philippians 4:18). Please give some thought to these things as we look at what God supplies.

A Provident God

Why do we worry so when we have such a provident God? He is a God who supplies our temporal needs. In Jacob’s last moments on this earth, he said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day" (Genesis 48:15). Paul said, "And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches..." (Philippians 4:19). (See Isaiah 40:11; II Corinthians 1:3-7). Furthermore, he fills the needs of the spirit. "How blessed is the one whom Thou does choose, and bring near to thee, to dwell in thy courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house" (Psalms 65:4). The Word further declares that "No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalms 84:11). (See Proverbs 21:21). God is so gracious that his blessings even extend to our children (Psalms 103:17-18).

What more could we ask? But we always want more — more money, more clothes, newer cars, bigger houses, better TV’s, remodeled kitchens, bigger closets, better-paying jobs, more prestige, greater power, etc. It reminds us of the song that says, "Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places." As to things, they really don’t satisfy or fill our needs. All you have to do to confirm this is look at those the world looks to as "having it all" -- the rich, the Hollywood stars, the "beautiful people." They are among the world’s least secure, as looks fade, riches may be lost, power is taken away, and they turn to adultery, drugs, alcohol, and suicide because they find life so empty and not worth living.

Just what is it that men seek after? Happiness, peace, contentment, security. And while the things of the world may supply these things for a time, they don’t last. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Mat. 6:19). We can’t take these things with us, and even if we could, my grandfather Tant was wont to say, "We’d probably get them burned up the first night, anyhow." Satan has done his job well in giving us cotton candy and convincing us that it is good, nutritious, and filling food. I am convinced that the goal of many is simply to be the richest person in the cemetery!

The Secret of Contentment

The secret of contentment is in learning to distinguish between needs and wants. Perhaps this is one of our greatest difficulties. Do we use the words "need" and "want" interchangeably? You "need" a new car. Why? Well, the one you have is five years old with 75,000 miles on it. Your wife "needs" a new dress. Why? She only has 30, and some are a bit out of style. I wonder what Paul meant when he said, "I ... have an abundance; I am amply supplied" (Philippians 4:19)?

We can also learn contentment by replacing worry with trust in God. Why worry when you can pray? Or as one fellow emphasized this with a sign in his office: "Why trust when you can worry?" Worry is destructive — to good health, to positive action, to faith in God. God has told us, "Do not worry" (Matthew 6:25-34). Think about it. What positive thing has worry ever done for you? I often tell people who worry about money to gather all their bills, pile them on the kitchen table, gather the whole family around, and sit up all night worrying about them. Then, when the sun arises, they are to count the bills to see what good their worrying has done.

We can also learn to replace covetousness with contentment. This may take some work, for the world around us certainly promotes covetousness. Where did Ted Turner make his first millions? Advertising billboards. Everywhere you turn, it’s "Buy this, buy that, lease this, put it on your credit card, take out a loan, this is really hot this year...." But do you remember what Jesus said, "Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses" (Luke 12:15).

If it were true that possessions are what life is all about, then how do you explain the happiness of people who have little or nothing in the world? I can remember being in the home of David and Maria in Mexico some years ago. It was a humble home with a dirt floor — neatly swept, no electricity. They had one meal a day, mostly beans, eaten as late in the day as they could wait. They had no running water, but bought water from a truck that came through the village. They used the water first for drinking and cooking, then what was left for washing dishes, and finally for washing clothes and bathing. They were so happy that we could come to see them, and we perceived that they were happy people. How could they be happy? They had learned what Paul had learned. "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance 1 have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need" (Philippians 4:11-12). Indeed, they had given heed to God’s word. "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ’The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?’" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

We can also learn to count our blessings rather than our burdens. "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts toward us; there is none to compare with Thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count" (Psalms 40:5). Is there one of us who does not have more blessings than burdens? If we can focus on the good rather than the bad, life will be a lot better for us in every way.

What to Do with Our Abundance

We can share it with the Lord. "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:6-7). With this money, we can carry on the Lord’s work. I appreciate congregations that are more interested in spreading God’s kingdom than in fancy buildings. Is there more that can be done? Letters come to us on a regular basis from men seeking support to take the gospel to the four corners of the earth.

We live in a time that has not been known for ages — possibly not since the first century. Nations are open, and opportunities abound. But many preachers have difficulty raising support, and some who go live on the edge, scraping by day by day, not receiving adequate wages, but so committed to their work that they will not leave. Are they the only ones who are to sacrifice?

Is there more that we can do? What our congregations do depends upon what we, as individuals, do. Remember, the church is the "pillar and ground of the truth" (I Timothy 3:15).

We can also share with those in need. There are fellow Christians who are sometimes in need. "And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them...For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need" (Acts 4:32-35). (See also, Rom. 15:25,26). And then there are those in the world to whom we can show mercy, as well. "For the poor you always have with you, and whenever you wish, you can do them good..." (Mark 14:7).

The Blessings that Come

If we learn these lessons, wonderful things are in store for us. First, God will bless us. "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into you lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38). "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God" (II Corinthians 9:10-11).

We are also promised treasures in heaven. "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to shai־e, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed" (I Timothy 6:17-19).

And finally, there is the blessing of glorifying God. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

Conclusion

What a great God we have! He is the answer to all our needs. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). He gives us joy and peace - something far better than all the riches of the world can give. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7).

And what else is there?

Thank you, Sandra Green, for teaching us a lesson, and thank you, Lord Jesus, for all that you have done and continue to do for us.