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Contentment
Complaining
The next time you feel like
complaining
remember that your garbage disposal probably eats better than 30
percent of the world’s population does. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Complaining
The story is told of a
Christian who was reduced to such poverty that he had only one pair of shoes
with the soles worn through and his toes sticking out. Depressed and
discouraged
he walked down the street mumbling to himself: “I might as well be
barefooted as to wear these miserable
uncomfortable shoes.” As he felt himself
becoming more and more bitter
he came upon a man sitting on the sidewalk and
begging. The poor fellow had no legs. After a moment
the discouraged Christian
realized that there was something worse than having old shoes-having no feet
upon which to wear the shoes.
Are you complaining? Think
how much worse things could be. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Contentment
Two little teardrops were
floating down the river of life. One teardrop asked the other
“Who are you?”
“I am a teardrop from a
girl who loved a man and lost him. But who are you?”
The first teardrop replied
“I am a teardrop from the girl who got him.”
Life is like that. We cry
over the things we can’t have
but we might cry twice as hard if we had
received them. Paul had the right idea when he said
“…I have learned the
secret of being content in any and every situation…” (Phil. 4:12). ── Michael
P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Contentment
A little Swiss watch had
been made with the smallest of parts and great skill. Yet it was dissatisfied
with its restricted sphere of influence on a lady’s wrist. It envied the
position of the great tower clock on the city hall. One day as it passed with
its owner by the city hall
the tiny watch exclaimed
“I wish I could go way up
there! I could then serve many instead of just one.” Now it so happened that
its owner was in a position with the city that gave her access to the tower
clock
so she said
“You shall have your opportunity
little watch.”
The next day
a slender
thread was let down from the tower and the little watch was tied to it. Slowly
and carefully
the watch was pulled up the side of the tower
rising higher and
higher each moment. Of course
when it reached the top
it was completely lost
to view. In this dramatic way
the watch learned that its elevation had
effected its annihilation!
Pray the you too may not
lose the small influence you now have for Christ by coveting something larger
for which you are not equipped
and which God constantly refuses you in his
love. Learn to be content. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Contentment
A story is told of a king
who was suffering from a mysterious malady and was advised by his astrologer
that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented man was brought for him to
wear. People went out to all parts of the kingdom looking for such a person
and after a long search they found a man who was really happy. But he did not
even possess a shirt. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Contentment
A Puritan sat down to his
meal and found that he had only a little bread and some water. His response was
to exclaim
“What? All this and Jesus Christ
too!”
Contentment is found when
we have a correct perspective on life. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Covetousness
A father was walking down
the street with his two small sons
both of whom were cry loudly
A neighbor
passing by inquired
“What’s the matter? Why all the fuss?” The father
responded
“The trouble with these lads is what’s wrong with the world. One has
a piece of candy and the other wants it!” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Covetousness
The trouble with this world
is that too many people try to go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both
hands. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Covetousness
The story is told of an
elderly Quaker who
to teach his neighbors a lesson
put up a sign on a vacant
piece of property he owned that read
“I will give this lot to anyone who is
really satisfied.”
A wealthy farmer read it as
he rode by and said to himself
“Since my Quaker friend is going to give this
piece of land away
I might as well have it as anyone else. I am rich and have
all I need
so I am well able to qualify.” He went up to the Quaker’s door and
when the aged man appeared
the farmer explained why he had come.
“And art thou really
satisfied?” asked the owner of the lot.
“I surely am
” was the
farmer’s reply. “I have all I need
and I am well satisfied.”
“Friend
” said the other
“if thou art satisfied
then what dost thou want with my lot?” The question
revealed the covetousness that was hidden in the man’s heart. ── Michael P.
Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Greed
Many years ago a major American
company had trouble keeping employees working in their assembly plant in
Panama. The laborers lived in a generally agrarian
barter economy
but the
company paid them in cash. Since the average employee had more cash after a
week’s work than he had ever seen
he would periodically quit working
satisfied with what he had made.
What was the solution? Company
executives gave all their employees a Sears catalog. No one quit then
because
they all wanted the previously undreamed-of things they saw in the book. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Greed
An old method for catching raccoons is
to place a piece of foil inside a small barred box that is staked to the
ground. When a raccoon comes by
he reaches his paw into the box to get the foil.
But
once he has grasped the foil
his paw changes shape and will not fit back
through the bars on the box. Many times a raccoon would rather give up his
freedom and perhaps his life—just for the sake of a shiny but useless piece of
foil. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Greed
The story is told of long ago when a
great ship struck a reef and began to sink. It was obvious that the people on
the ship had only a few minutes to escape
so all their belongings were
abandoned as they fled to the lifeboats. However
one man on the ship ran and
filled his pockets with gold from different staterooms and the ship’s safe.
This took just long enough that there were no lifeboats left. So the thief put
on a life jacket and jumped overboard
happy with his new riches and his narrow
escape. But
as his friends who had left quickly looked on
he hit the water
and plummeted to the bottom like an anchor—the weight of the gold being too
much to allow him to float.
Greed often fills us with that which
becomes our own destruction. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Greed
A reporter interviewed Lynette Fromme
the girl who took a shot at President Ford in Sacramento and who was also a
member of the infamous. Manson family. She said that the thing that attracted
her to Charles Manson was his philosophy—“Get what you want whenever you want
it. That is your God-inspired right.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Greed
A little girl accompanied her mother
to the country store where
after the mother had made a purchase
the clerk
invited the child to help herself to a handful of candy. The youngster held
back
“What’s the matter? Don’t you like candy?” asked the clerk. The child
nodded
and the clerk smilingly put his hand into the jar and dropped a
generous portion into the little girl’s handbag.
Afterward the mother asked her
daughter why she had not taken the candy when the clerk first offered some to
her. “Because his hand was bigger than mine
” replied the little girl. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Greed
Greedy can overpower nearly all
elements of spiritual maturity. That is why giving is so important. Giving
should not be like and overflow valve on our wealth
that is
giving what is
excess. Rather
it should be like a loosened drain plug. You see
for wealthy
people
tithing is actually an escape from real giving
since they can easily
spare that 10 percent. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
In the fifth century
a man named
Arenius determined to live a holy life. So he abandoned the conforms of
Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert. Yet whenever he
visited the great city of Alexandria
he spent time wandering through its
bazaars. Asked why
he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all
the things he didn't need. Those of us who live in a society flooded with goods
and gadgets need to ponder the example of that desert dweller. A typical
supermarket in the United States in 1976 stocked 9
000 articles; today it
carries 30
000. How many of them are absolutely essential? How many
superfluous? ── Our Daily Bread
May 26
1994.
Philip Parham tells the story of a
rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside
his boat. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked.
"Because I've caught enough fish
for today
" said the fisherman.
"Why don't you catch more fish than you need?' the rich man asked.
"What would I do with them?"
"You could earn more money
"
came the impatient reply
"and buy a better boat so you could go deeper
and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets
catch even more fish
and
make more money. Soon you'd have a fleet of boats and be rich like me."
The fisherman asked
"Then what
would I do?"
"You could sit down and enjoy life
" said the industrialist.
"What do you think I'm doing now?" the fisherman replied as he looked
placidly out to sea. ── Our Daily Bread
May 18
1994.
Years ago
Russell Conwell told of an
ancient Persian
Ali Hafed
who "owned a very large farm that had
orchards
grain fields
and gardens... and was a wealthy contented man."
One day a wise man from the East told the farmer all about diamonds and how
wealthy he would be if he owned a diamond mine. Ali Hafed went to bed that
night a poor man--poor because he was discontented. Craving a mine of diamonds
he sold his farm to search for the rare stones. He traveled the world over
finally becoming so poor
broken
and defeated that he committed suicide. One
day the man who purchased Ali Hafed's farm led his camel into the garden to
drink. As his camel put its nose into the brook
the man saw a flash of light
from the sands of the stream. He pulled out a stone that reflected all the hues
of the rainbow. The man had discovered the diamond mine of Golcanda
the most
magnificent mine in all history. Had Ali Hafed remained at home and dug in his
own garden
then instead of death in a strange land
he would have had acres of
diamonds.── G. Sweeting
in Moody Monthly
May
1988
p. 95.
A number of years ago there was a
popular program called The Goldbergs. In one episode
Jake Goldberg came home
for supper and excitedly told his wife
Molly
about a great idea he had. He
wanted to go into business. Molly had some money put away
anticipating just
such a thing
and she gave it to him. As they sat at the dinner table
enthusiastically discussing the future
Jake said
"Molly
some day we'll
be eating off of golden plates!" Molly looked at him and replied
"Jake
darling
will it taste any better?"── Source Unknown.
A man became envious of his friends
because they had larger and more luxurious homes. So he listed his house with a
real estate firm
planning to sell it and to purchase a more impressive home.
Shortly afterward
as he was reading the classified section of the newspaper
he saw an ad for a house that seemed just right. He promptly called the realtor
and said
"A house described in today's paper is exactly what I'm looking
for. I would like to go through it as soon as possible!" The agent asked
him several questions about it and then replied
"But sir
that's your
house your describing."── Source Unknown.
Leaning on his fence one day
a devout
Quaker was watching a new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern
appliances
electronic gadgets
plush furniture
and costly wall hangings had
been carried in
the onlooker called over
"If you find you're lacking
anything
neighbor
let me know and I'll show you how to live without it."
── Source Unknown.
Dream On. Postwar Americans always
cherished the expectation that their standard of living would improve with each
generation. In polls at the onset of the Reagan era
2 of every 3 respondents
said they expected to be better off than their parents. Now
that figure is
being reversed. Almost three fourth of the 1
000 people who answered a Roper
poll for Shearson Lehman Brothers say the American Dream is "harder to
attain" than a generation ago. And 60 percent say achieving the dream
requires more financial risk than it did for their parents.The poll also finds
that some of the values held most dear during the 1980s -- like wealth
power
and fame -- are those that Americans are now most likely to deem
"unimportant." The most important elements of today's American Dream
center on family and friends. But money remains something to dream about. For
Americans with household incomes under $25
000
it would take $54
000 a year to
fulfill the American dream. Those who make $100
000 plus crave an average of
$192
000. In other words
the American Dream usually lies nearly twice the
distance away.── Amy Bernstein
U.S. News & World Report
July
27
1992
p. 11.
Before movie companies were careful
about Swahili translations--assuming no one in the U.S. would understand--a
director needed an African messenger who was to gasp out a sentence to the big
chief
collapsing as he delivered his message
since he had run for days with
his vital news. A local Englishman who spoke Swahili was asked to write an
urgent-sounding sentence in the language. He did
tongue in cheek. An American
actor played the part beautifully. All went well until the movie was shown in
Nairobi (where everyone spoke Swahili
of course). The drama of the moment was
reduced to high comedy. What the messenger actually said as he threw himself
exhausted
before the chief was
"I do not think I am getting paid enough
money for this part." ── B. and J. Leslie-Melville
Elephant Have
Right of Way.
Recently I laid a small circle of
poison around a hill of stinging ants. Thinking the tiny granules of poison
were food
the ants began to pick them up and carry them throughout the colony.
I returned later to see how well the poison was working. Hundreds of the
stinging ants were carrying the poison down into their hill. Then I noticed a
hole in the circle of poison. Some of the poison was moving the opposite
way--away from the hill. Some smaller
non-stinging ants had found this
"food" and were stealing it from their ant neighbors. Thinking they
were getting the other ants' treasure
they unwittingly poisoned themselves.
When we see someone with more than we have
we must beware. The hunger to beg
borrow
or steal our way into what is theirs may poison us spiritually. ──
Bob James.
"Content makes poor men rich;
discontent makes rich men poor." ── Benjamin Franklin.
Be content with what you have
never
with what you are.
I had no shoes and complained until I
met a man who had no feet.
He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low
no pride;
He that is humble
ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have
Little be it
or much;
And
Lord
contentment still I crave
Because Thou savest such.
── John Bunyan
quoted in Anthology
of Jesus.
"Content makes poor men rich;
discontent makes rich men poor."
Benjamin Franklin.
Complaining
The next time
you feel like complaining
remember that your garbage disposal probably eats
better than 30 percent of the world’s population does.
Complaining
The story is
told of a Christian who was reduced to such poverty that he had only one pair
of shoes
with the soles worn through and his toes sticking out. Depressed and
discouraged
he walked down the street mumbling to himself: “I might as well be
barefooted as to wear these miserable
uncomfortable shoes.” As he felt himself
becoming more and more bitter
he came upon a man sitting on the sidewalk and
begging. The poor fellow had no legs. After a moment
the discouraged Christian
realized that there was something worse than having old shoes-having no feet
upon which to wear the shoes.
Are you complaining? Think
how much worse things could be.
Contentment
Two little
teardrops were floating down the river of life. One teardrop asked the other
“Who are you?”
“I am a teardrop from a
girl who loved a man and lost him. But who are you?”
The first teardrop
replied
“I am a teardrop from the girl who got him.”
Life is like that. We cry
over the things we can’t have
but we might cry twice as hard if we had
received them. Paul had the right idea when he said
“…I have learned the
secret of being content in any and every situation…” (Phil. 4:12).
Contentment
A little Swiss
watch had been made with the smallest of parts and great skill. Yet it was
dissatisfied with its restricted sphere of influence on a lady’s wrist. It
envied the position of the great tower clock on the city hall. One day as it
passed with its owner by the city hall
the tiny watch exclaimed
“I wish I
could go way up there! I could then serve many instead of just one.” Now it so
happened that its owner was in a position with the city that gave her access to
the tower clock
so she said
“You shall have your opportunity
little watch.”
The next day
a slender
thread was let down from the tower and the little watch was tied to it. Slowly
and carefully
the watch was pulled up the side of the tower
rising higher and
higher each moment. Of course
when it reached the top
it was completely lost
to view. In this dramatic way
the watch learned that its elevation had
effected its annihilation!
Pray the you too may not
lose the small influence you now have for Christ by coveting something larger
for which you are not equipped
and which God constantly refuses you in his
love. Learn to be content.
Contentment
A story is told
of a king who was suffering from a mysterious malady and was advised by his
astrologer that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented man was brought
for him to wear. People went out to all parts of the kingdom looking for such a
person
and after a long search they found a man who was really happy. But he
did not even possess a shirt.
Contentment
A Puritan sat
down to his meal and found that he had only a little bread and some water. His
response was to exclaim
“What? All this and Jesus Christ
too!”
Contentment is found when
we have a correct perspective on life.
Covetousness
A father was
walking down the street with his two small sons
both of whom were cry loudly
A neighbor passing by inquired
“What’s the matter? Why all the fuss?” The
father responded
“The trouble with these lads is what’s wrong with the world.
One has a piece of candy and the other wants it!”
Covetousness
The trouble
with this world is that too many people try to go through life with a catcher’s
mitt on both hands.
Covetousness
The story is
told of an elderly Quaker who
to teach his neighbors a lesson
put up a sign
on a vacant piece of property he owned that read
“I will give this lot to
anyone who is really satisfied.”
A wealthy farmer read it
as he rode by and said to himself
“Since my Quaker friend is going to give
this piece of land away
I might as well have it as anyone else. I am rich and
have all I need
so I am well able to qualify.” He went up to the Quaker’s door
and
when the aged man appeared
the farmer explained why he had come.
“And art thou really
satisfied?” asked the owner of the lot.
“I surely am
” was the
farmer’s reply. “I have all I need
and I am well satisfied.”
“Friend
” said the other
“if thou art satisfied
then what dost thou want with my lot?” The question
revealed the covetousness that was hidden in the man’s heart.
Greed
Many
years ago a major American company had trouble keeping employees working in
their assembly plant in Panama. The laborers lived in a generally agrarian
barter economy
but the company paid them in cash. Since the average employee
had more cash after a week’s work than he had ever seen
he would periodically
quit working
satisfied with what he had made.
What
was the solution? Company executives gave all their employees a Sears catalog.
No one quit then
because they all wanted the previously undreamed-of things
they saw in the book.
Greed
An
old method for catching raccoons is to place a piece of foil inside a small
barred box that is staked to the ground. When a raccoon comes by
he reaches
his paw into the box to get the foil. But
once he has grasped the foil
his
paw changes shape and will not fit back through the bars on the box. Many times
a raccoon would rather give up his freedom and perhaps his life—just for the
sake of a shiny but useless piece of foil.
Greed
The
story is told of long ago when a great ship struck a reef and began to sink. It
was obvious that the people on the ship had only a few minutes to escape
so
all their belongings were abandoned as they fled to the lifeboats. However
one
man on the ship ran and filled his pockets with gold from different staterooms
and the ship’s safe. This took just long enough that there were no lifeboats
left. So the thief put on a life jacket and jumped overboard
happy with his
new riches and his narrow escape. But
as his friends who had left quickly
looked on
he hit the water and plummeted to the bottom like an anchor—the
weight of the gold being too much to allow him to float.
Greed
often fills us with that which becomes our own destruction.
Greed
A
reporter interviewed Lynette Fromme
the girl who took a shot at President Ford
in Sacramento and who was also a member of the infamous. Manson family. She
said that the thing that attracted her to Charles Manson was his
philosophy—“Get what you want whenever you want it. That is your God-inspired
right.”
Greed
A
little girl accompanied her mother to the country store where
after the mother
had made a purchase
the clerk invited the child to help herself to a handful
of candy. The youngster held back
“What’s the matter? Don’t you like candy?”
asked the clerk. The child nodded
and the clerk smilingly put his hand into
the jar and dropped a generous portion into the little girl’s handbag.
Afterward
the mother asked her daughter why she had not taken the candy when the clerk
first offered some to her. “Because his hand was bigger than mine
” replied the
little girl.
Greed
Greedy
can overpower nearly all elements of spiritual maturity. That is why giving is
so important. Giving should not be like and overflow valve on our wealth
that
is
giving what is excess. Rather
it should be like a loosened drain plug. You
see
for wealthy people
tithing is actually an escape from real giving
since
they can easily spare that 10 percent.