Wisdom's Corner
Never Content?

Many, many years ago there lived a very powerful king named Xerxes. Xerxes, though loaded with all the prizes and gifts of fortune, was content neither with his cavalry, nor his foot-soldiers, nor with the multitude of his ships, nor with his incalculable amount of gold, but offered a reward to the man, who should invent a new pleasure. And yet with this very pleasure he was not content; so true is it that unbridled desires will never find a limit. (Short Tales and Anecdotes From Ancient History by William Smith, 1866, p.12)

King Xerxes thought that happiness could come from owning things. He thought that having power would make him happy. So he was always trying to get more of both. Yet he could not find anything that completely fulfilled his desire for contentment.

In Hebrews 13:5 we are told to be content with the things we have. This does not mean that we do not continue to use our talents to obtain more things. It does mean though that we are not to be unhappy with what we have. We are to understand that what we have comes from God. And we are to understand that what we have is to be used in service of God.

We also should learn that our hope for happiness is not in the things we possess or in the power we have. Our happiness is in God. Serving Him and doing His will is what will bring true happiness. "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." (Psalm 146:5)

Learn to be content. Study the Bible and learn where true contentment comes from. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 2002

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)