Lesson 22
Overcoming The "Greener Grass" Syndrome
Philippians 3:10-13
ILLUSTRATION: A cartoon appeared depicting 2 equally green, equally lush fields. The fields were divided by a barbed wire fence. Both fields had a mule. Both mules had their head through the strands of wire, eating grass from the other field. Both mules had gotten tangled up in the barbed wire and couldn't get free. The caption read, "Discontent".
You know what they say! "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." Erma Bombeck says, "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." Someone else has said, "If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher!"
Why is it that amid all of our prosperity there is so little contentment? It seems that the more we have, the more discontent we become. A newspaper reported that a survey done in the 1800's revealed that the average American had about 70 "wants". A similar survey indicated that today the average American listed nearly 500 wants! Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century; without potatoes until the 16th century; without coffee until the 17th century; with electricity until the 19th century; without canned foods until the 20th century. Now what was it you were complaining about?
But discontentment is not just a modern-day problem. It is a human problem. As long as there have been men, there has been discontentment. The Bible speaks to the problem of discontentment. On one occasion, John the Baptist was preaching his message of repentance. Some Roman soldiers in the crowd asked him, "And what shall we do?" This is, what will repentance mean for us. John answered, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages"!(Luke 3:14). *Heb.13:5 says, "Be content with such things as ye have". *I Tim. 6:8 says, "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." God wants us to be content. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (I Tim.6:6).
This is a message about contentment. Just what is contentment? Sometimes it is difficult to define some of these words for which we think we know the meaning. I like to define a word by determining what is its opposite. What is the opposite of contentment? The Bible contrasts contentment with covetousness (see Heb.13:5; I Tim.6:6-10). Covetousness is wanting more and more. Contentment is the opposite. Not wanting more and more but being satisfied with what you have.
Have you ever met a content person? Benjamin Franklin once said, "Who is rich? He that is content? Who is that? Nobody." Nobody is content?! Not so! The Bible records the testimony of a content man. We find his testimony in our text for today, Philippians 4:10-13. Let's read it together.
In this passage Paul is expressing, actually marveling with gratitude and joy, over the concern for him from the Philippians demonstrated by a gift which they had sent him. Yet, he wants them to know that the gift is not necessary for his contentment. He has learned to be content amid all of the extremes of life.
What a great testimony! "I have learned the secret of contentment no matter what situation I may be in!" Now I would like to learn that, wouldn't you? Where did you learn that, Paul? Is there a school that we might enroll in that would teach us the secret of contentment? Paul's answer, no doubt, is that contentment must be learned in the school of experience. I have discovered that even this school has tests! They are Pass/Fail. Either you pass them or else you fail and must repeat the lesson and the test.
I have discovered in this text, this testimony of a content man, 4 tests which Paul had to pass in order to learn contentment. Each of these are spiritual attitude tests, rather than scholastic apptitude!
If you want to graduate from the school of experience with a Master's Degree in contentment (and who doesn't) then you must pass these four tests.
I. Test #1 (Freshman)
Attitude of Gratitude, 4:10
Paul had not been in the city of Philippi for about 10 years. Yet, earlier in his ministry this church had supported him (v. 14-15) and sent him a special love offering on two occasions (v.16)(II Cor. 11:7-9). Something, unknown, had prevented this church from being able to demonstrate their concern (vs. 10 - You didn't stop caring but you didn't have the opportunity to show it.) But recently, upon learning of the apostles Roman imprisonment that had sent Epaphroditus to his aid (2:25) a long with a gift (4:18). In verse 10, Paul is expressing his appreciation. But, notice, his thankfulness is more for the people who cared than for the gift itself.
"I rejoiced in the Lord greatly…"
Paul is practicing what he preached to them (vs.4) I have experienced immense joy in the Lord… why? Because your care (concern; mindfulness; thoughtfulness) has flourished (bloom; blossom; springtime) "now at the last".
Paul's gratitude was not nearly so much for the gift as for the givers! Paul's focus was on people, not on things. "If you love people you won't care about things; if you love things you won't care about people." The giver not the gift = others not self!
This is the first test in learning contentment.
II. Test #2 (Sophomore)
Restraint From Complaint, 4:11
"Not that I speak in respect of want" - "I want for nothing." - "I don't have needs." Now, wait a minute, Paul, aren't you under house arrest in Rome? Don't you have guards chained to you in 6-hour shifts, 24 hours a day? Paul refuses to complain! Instead, he had…
His content did not come from external resources but from an internal resource. It was not because of what he had but because of what he learned. We become content, not by possessing the abundance of this world but by losing a desire for this world; not by having more but by wanting less.
Contentment is independent of conditions. Contentment is independent of possessions. You can have ideal conditions and still be discontent; you can have horrible conditions and still be content!
The second test of contentment is the ability to adapt, to adjust.
III. Test #3 (Junior)
Equilibrium Amid Extremes, 4:12
Most of us, mentally identify contentment as a life without extremes. We are like Goldilocks -
We want a chair that is neither too big nor too small but just right.
We want porridge that is neither too hot nor too cold but just right.
We want a bed that is neither too hard nor too soft but just right.
The wise man wrote "give me neither poverty nor riches" (Prov. 30:8)
We know how painful poverty can be.
We know how perilous poverty can be.
We desire the middle of the road.
But in verse 12, Paul informs us that his contentment is, not from a life of moderation but amid a life of extremes!
"I am instructed" = I have learned the secret
"I know wherever" = I have periodically experienced whatever
Abased = Abound
To be full = To be hungry
To abound = To suffer need
I know how to be humbled (abased), hungry, hurting (suffer need).
Equality. I know how to prosper, pig-out - (full, fattened), plenty (excess; opposite of deprivation).
This, my friends, is flexibility. The ability to be just as comfortable with as without; at home with rules and regulations. This, again, genuinely indicates that Paul did not derive his contentment from his conditions.
Test #4 (Senior)
Confidence in Christ, 4:13
What confidence Paul possesses! But it is not concerted. It is not in self but in the strength of Christ - contentment, connected to Christ - peace, provision (19), preserve (Heb. 13:5-6),
God wants his people to be content, not covetous/complaining.