1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

1 Timothy 6:6-7

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”

Whether you realize it or not, our economy runs on the fuel of discontentment—turn on the television and you’ll see commercials every 15 minutes or so; listen to the radio and you’ll get the same; drive down any highway and you’ll see billboards every few miles; walk in any store, just to grab a few basic necessities, and you’re 100% sure to see some display that is made to grab your attention.

In each instance, no matter what the ad, the message is this – “You need something else. You need something bigger or better or shinier or newer. You just need it.” You look at these things and many times you agree. You didn’t even know it existed a few minutes ago, but now that you see it you need it! You’ve just got to have it!

In the same way your heart can be entangled by a love of money or by bad financial decisions, it can also be damaged by this pursuit of “stuff.” You can become so consumed with the need for “something else” that you lose the ability to be satisfied, and you lose the ability to be fulfilled. Life loses its joy for you until you just become jaded and bitter. Your heart becomes possessed by possessions.

So what is the solution to this problem? Paul gave the solution in 1 Timothy 6:6-7 as he told Timothy to remind people to use their energy and their money to do things for other people. Instead of making wealth our chief pursuit, we are to use our wealth to do good for others. Andy Stanley interprets 1 Timothy 6:17 as “Awareness of needs greater than your own drives generosity, and generosity bridles our discontent.” By focusing on helping others we are able to take hold of “life that is truly life.” Isn’t that what we all really want?

Paraphrase what Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6-7:

Why do you think it is true that “generosity bridles our discontent”?