“Pursuing Righteousness!”

“Pursuing Righteousness!”(I Tim.6:6-12).
“But godliness with contentment is great gain…”
When we talk of contentment, we should juxtapose it with progress. What is the difference between the two?
Here is what somebody has stated: “Progress is the relentless pursuit of climbing higher. Contentment is knowing when to stop to savour the view. It takes wisdom and a fair amount of listening to yourself to know when to stop to savour all the beautiful scenery that you’ve climbed so hard to reach.”
But after contentment what next? While contentment is prescribed, one should know that after contentment one may experience boredom and discontent.
However, contentment as a state of being happy and satisfied does not mean stagnation.
Contentment brings relaxation but does not stop you from being visionary and progressive. The difference is that with contentment you stop being restlessly and ruthlessly ambitious.
Whatever is there ahead that you are ambitious for has a dead-end for you. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
The basic human needs of food, shelter and clothing should bring us contentment.
Paul is too blunt: “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 wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
The telltale of overt ambition are everywhere and whoever seems contented is seen as one who is not pushful enough.
Do you doubt why young people are attracted by the publicity of esoteric fraternities that tells you they will offer you whatever you want?
Any Cabal or occultism or esoteric fraternity is antichrist! Such places offering power, riches and control aren’t free from Satanism and that is exactly what James is talking about. Believers who are eager to follow that route, follow it to their destruction! Embezzlers, fraudsters, scanners, disguised den of robbers in the house of God are on that path to destruction too!
But you, man of God (pastor, bishop, clergy, and laity) “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…”
Sunday prayer: Lord, turn my eyes from looking at vanity and give me life in all your ways. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.