Vox populi | enough is enough

Take a holiday from discontent

I

remember driving through St. Petersburg, Florida the first time a lottery reached into the range of mega-millions ($168 million).  Deana and I talked about what we’d do with that kind of money, but first we’d have to find someone to collect it for us to avoid our soldiership being revoked (probably after we tithed).

A word comes to mind when I think about lotteries, a word which underpins the motivation of gamblers and the success of lotteries and casinos in our country.  It is also the word lurking behind consumerism, and the bedrock of materialism. The word is a malady in North America, but virtually non-existent in the developing world, possibly due to inexperience or lack of opportunity. It’s antonym is an answer to much of what ails us, a breath of fresh air into a beleaguered church, and the hope found in Jesus Christ.

The word?  Discontent.

It is discontent that causes us to conclude we just don’t have enough.  Discontent drives us to be dissatisfied with what we do have. We want more, better, what they have. We have what they want and we want to keep it that way.

In Mark 6 and 8 the gospel writer records Jesus feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000. The point of the story isn’t the miracle of the feeding, or the bounty of the leftover. The point is, “They all ate and were satisfied“. Notice the number of leftovers in the story, the Jewish leftovers being 12, and the gentiles having 7 remaining.  The number 12 is representative throughout the scriptures for the 12 tribes of Israel, and 7 being the number of perfection or completeness.  In the economy of God’s grace and Sabbath there is enough for the twelve tribes of Israel and his provision is complete for gentiles.

In Sabbath economics the land is harvested and the poor will have enough to eat. In the feeding stories the people are satisfied because there is enough for everyone. Paul writes, “My grace is sufficient for you” … it’s enough. In the dessert wanderings of Israel, Yahweh provided enough manna everyday. They weren’t to horde or store, but to wait on Him for their provision (Exodus 16). There was enough, but even in their case their discontent led to bitterness and strife. Isaiah reminds us we will be content if we take care of the needs of the poor, resulting in Yahweh’s guidance and provision for all of our needs (Isaiah 58). We will have enough.

Joni Erickson Tada in her book, When God Weeps tells a story of children living on the street in a Calcutta ghetto. She shares how she was invited to attend a church service and as she manoeuvres her wheelchair through the streets she can hear the sound of singing. Approaching the location of the service she finds children singing joyous songs while crawling through the filth of the street on the stumps they have for legs. Joni, herself confined to a wheelchair because of an accident which left her unable to control her body below her neck, attributes their joy to one word. They are “content” in the Lord. We’re always quick to add, “yes, but they don’t know any better” as if such a glib remark could appease our discontented guilt.

As we consider our place in the world, and the situation of others, take a holiday from discontent. Be content in the Lord. Rest in Him and enjoy His Sabbath. Share with others, give away your extra, take care of the poor, and God will guide and provide for your needs.

Vox populi appears every Friday on theRubicon. Find past Vox populi posts and a bio of Capt. Rick Zelinsky here.

2 Comments to Vox populi | enough is enough

1. I can’t figure out why the Israelites weren’t satisfied with their dessert wanderings either — sounds like fun to me
Catherine W on August 1st, 2008

2. This resonates with me. The western world is a seething mass who always want more, I agree. I would like to step out of that, turn off their noise, ignore their Las Vegas style signs that say “buy, buy, buy”. It’s a pollution.

   I recently stuck this bible verse on the wall by my desk, 1 Timothy6:6-10, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money, have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs”
Zoe Fay on August 1st, 2008

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