Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
The world is wired to make you dissatisfied. I have some friends who are really good marketers—they’re good at business and at advertising. Advertising tries to make us dissatisfied with the shirt we have, the car we have, the person we're married to, or whatever it might be. The world is often geared to make us dissatisfied.
The Treasure of True Godliness
There is a tremendous verse in 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 6. It says this: "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." We see the treasure of true godliness in two ways in this passage.
First, very simply, true godliness is valuable. True godliness means to be devoted to God. An old word is pious. It's living your life for an audience of One, whether it's in your family, in your workplace, as you interact with people, or as you just try to be a godly person. There's a huge enemy to godliness, though.
Godliness with Contentment
Number two: true godliness is valuable when accompanied by contentment. It says it right there in the verse. "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." Contentment is that inner peace that's independent from circumstances.
You might remember the apostle Paul in prison. Paul was beaten, with rods, and he started singing in the middle of a prison. This guy was incredible, and he learned—listen to this verse in Philippians chapter 4, verse 12—he said: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty." Whether you have a lot, or have a little, it might be a blessing for you to have less than you want right now, whatever it is.
Then he says this: "I have learned." Let me encourage you. Paul had to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry. Friends, there's not some super spiritual Christian that has an extra dose of contentment. We have to learn it.
The Mega Value
True godliness is critical when it's accompanied by contentment, the Greek word here in the verse is mega. It's the idea that it's mega valuable. Do you know what that means? It's great. It's incredibly valuable for you to be a godly and contented person.
Checking Your Meters
A very simple question for you: how is your contentment meter? What are the things that you look at in your life—whether in your family, in your job, or elsewhere—that you’re not feeling content with? How is your contentment meter?
Secondly, how is your godliness meter? How is it going? Are you devoted to God? Do you live your life for Him as you interact with all the spheres of influence? Are you living for the audience of One? Because godliness, true godliness with contentment, is of mega great value. Let's be those types of people today.