Contentment is a biblical expectation, but contentment is not the driving force in contemporary economics. The driving force in our economic system is to get people to spend money.
Commercials, advertisements and companies promise that the next car, phone, tablet or item will make your life easier, better or more fruitful.
I imagine that your experience is like mine.
The next, the new, the better is good for a little while, but it eventually slows down, breaks or loses its novelty. Then we are tempted to try the next new thing.
Paul warned the young pastor Timothy against discontentment, envy and the pursuit of more. One of the signs of personal godliness is the willingness to be content with whatever God has given us and not be driven to pursue more and more and more.
Why does Paul give these warnings and commendations? He wants Timothy and the readers of this letter to know what truly lasts.
Wealth and luxury are fleeting. At best they last a lifetime.
Only what we do with what we have and how we live our lives will last eternally. When we “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness,” we focus on character traits that invest in heavenly rewards.
But let’s not misquote Paul here. Money is not the root of all evil.
Rather, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” If we let money drive us and use us, it becomes our idol. And we don’t have to be super-wealthy for money to become an idol.
Yet, if we use the money (things) God has blessed us with for the pursuit of godliness and God’s glory, then we are making an investment that will last.
Don’t be used by your wealth or desires. Rather, use them for the glory of Christ.
On Sunday morning before our worship services, several deacons gather in my office to pray. Nearly every week, one particular deacon arrives in my office with an update and a prayer request from the church members he is responsible for. He’s called them, prayed with them, visited them and is ready to share with us what is going on in their lives. He’s fulfilling his calling as a deacon.
As Paul detailed to Timothy the care of widows and elders in the church, he brought attention to one of the pastor’s key responsibilities. The pastor is the overseer of church ministry.
Whether it involves music, ministry, pastoral care, preaching, the nursery, evangelism and so on, it is the pastor(s) or elder(s) who are responsible to make sure that church ministry happens and that people are cared for.
That doesn’t mean that the pastor is the only one to do the ministry. Rather, he is to oversee the ministry of others within the congregation for the care of the congregation.
Evidently, Timothy’s church was experiencing some controversies regarding how widows were cared for. This type of conflict was also what led the first church to select deacons (see Acts 6:1-7). Being responsible for ministry means knowing what is going on, thinking through controversies, listening to others and developing solutions that reflect love and compassion.
Being responsible does not mean always being in control or having to have things your own way. For a pastor to be pleasing to Christ, he must make time for study and preparation in the preaching and teaching ministry (5:17-18). But he cannot neglect the oversight of other ministries.
Pastors who bear their responsibility well will lead others to serve and lean on servant leaders to minister to others. If you are pastor, heed Paul’s advice here. If you are a church member, ask your pastor how you can help bear the burden of ministry in your church.
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