Dear cell, here is Zenn's take on last Friday's charged-up discussion.
Last night in cell we spoke casually about Louis Vuitton (LV) bag. This is in wake of what we have been discussing – one should be contented. Mm, does it mean that having an LV bag label one as discontented and materialistic?
I have to say I kept on seeing LV last night. In my dreams, that is. It did not click. What does having LV got to do with the spiritual walk. Many take it that it is normal to go on holidays every year, and the bills for holidays keep escalating. But wait a minute. No one seemed to say that this person is not contented. Mm. After all, does it not mean that one is discontented in one’s current state if one needs to get out of the country? Holiday is supposed to stand for holy-day. Wow, I did not know that being in God’s sanctuary involve getting as far away from home as possible!
Ok. Some will start to wonder, ‘Zenn must be an LV fan’. No, I am not the kind who must own everything branded, and neither do I own an LV bag. But I must say that we must be careful sometimes in our judgement, lest it can become quite Pharisee-like. That said, I better confess first that I do own something LV- my wallet. I have never looked for an LV wallet, but after we got the car, I needed a practical sized wallet that can last and hold my more than ten cards, notes, coins, house and car keys (those with car keys know it is bulky!), as well as pocket tissue paper. Yes, my LV wallet did it, and from then on it became one of my treasured possessions. Not because of the branding, but because it is practical, really last and is of good quality (I must confess I am very much into quality and so do go for seemingly designer brands for its sheer quality sometimes).
On the other extreme, I have heard of people who have taken it all wrong and assume that being contented means spending as little as possible on each item. They actually call this being simple. But a look at their spending pattern reveals otherwise. Some of these people actually have become addicted to the pleasure of purchase (yes, I personally have known quite a few of such people). They have to buy and buy. In fact, they shop and buy new items every week! Try giving them more money and see what happens… you get the drill.
Therefore, what I am trying to imply is that we cannot look at a person’s external appearance and derive our own conclusions. Neither did the bible link contentment only to one’s material possessions. In fact, like always, God says He looks at the heart. It is actually much more encompassing and when lived correctly, enables God’s children to truly live joyfully in this world. And that is why diving deeper into this study is essential.
First of all, being contented has to do with being comfortable with who you are and the status you are born into in this world. There are many who complain why they are born in a certain country, to certain parents, and have certain siblings. It seem like we are forced to be born to this world and have no choice with regards one’s standing. God has a purpose for putting us exactly where we are. After all, he engineered our birth. So, we must accept and appreciate our birth.
We have to be contented with the talents we are born with – first, how clever we were in studies, followed by where we land up in for work and where we are now in our career. Also, how much money we make. Basically, in the Parable of the Talents, it clearly states we are all born with different talents and therefore the result in life is also different. It also means accepting that there will always be people who are already born in a more advantageous position than us. But it did not say we stop there. We are not to be contented to the point of being stagnant or lazy! Remember the case of the person who simply bury his talent? God took it away from him! Imagine if we have the wrong conviction and think that being contented means just being happy with what we have and not progressing. Then God may pass the talent (in the form of promotion or more money) to the person who can handle it better. That will be really sad, when initially God planned to give it to us.
Everyone of us has our own place in life where we are tested and will have to answer to God on the day we meet Him. Contentment includes not looking in another’s life- how much better or worse off they are than us. A good example of this is when Peter asked Jesus, ‘then what about him (John)?’ What if God told Peter then that John’s life ending will be much more pleasant? And, wait a minute, is not Peter the rock? Why does he have a worse ending? There again, if we look from a human point of view, nothing makes sense. Even faith does not make sense. Obedience to God many times does not make sense, eg. What has circling round the walls of Jericho got to do with pulling it down?
In fact, we have to be careful throughout life, because we never will always be in the same situation as we are in right now, and the test of contentment can take a different form. Let me give you a real life example- someone I know who used to appear very simple (=contented?) suddenly got a bank job. She changed her style of dressing, put on very pleasant make up, and looks much prettier now. One can say God blessed her with that job, and in fact she prayed for it. But what happened? She became discontented- that is, with her husband. She complains he is too boring because he dresses too plainly, he does not speak like the other banker guys, he earns less than them by doing almost the same job… ah ha… danger zone. When God answers our prayers, many times our test in life takes a different form. When we pass that test, we move on to the next higher level in life (in God’s terms).
Does this mean we cannot progress? No, of course not. If this is so, then the bible will not talk about God granting the desires of our heart. The key word is ‘desire’. Desire is not a need; it is a want. Therefore, being contented means we are to be appreciative of where we are now, no matter the circumstances, but it does not mean we have to resign to the fact that we will always be only where we are now. It means we try our best, and let God do the rest. It means when we talk about contentment, we live in the present. Today is a present (gift) so long as we enjoy today. But as for our tomorrows, we are taught not to worry, and cast all our cares on Him. It means we live rightly right now and everyday the best we know how in our present circumstances and tell God our wishes. Then we let Him decide if He will answer our prayers. We trust that God knows best if giving us more is better or worse off for us, and just for that faith, we persevere and hold on and appreciate (be contented) with our present.
Ah ha, what if our desire is for an LV bag? God never said we cannot like branded goods, did he? Mm… what about guys who are IT-crazy, or car crazy… mm… what about mums who send their kids for piano lessons? Can that not be considered materialism (although it is not self-indulgence but it is still a luxury good to be sending a kid to piano class, is it not)? My end point is this- do not judge. Only God can look at the heart and tell you why a person wants to take a particular course of action. If one buys a perceived upmarket item (can range from LV bag to a BMW or even a private property) purely for one’s own pleasure and within one’s budget and carry it with the right attitude (not as a one up against another), I believe with all my heart that the person has God’s approval.
For me, being contented the way God teaches is actually ultimate freedom, because we can look at something and truly appreciate it for what it is, whatever the item or price tag. For example, do I like designer goods? Yes and no. Some of their items are really nice, and I have no problem stepping into the shops and just appreciate them. Do I feel a stab if I see others buying something I like? No, definitely not. Will I buy an item I like if it is within my means? Well, if I extremely like it, the price is affordable and I have the money for it, and I foresee myself using it for a long time, why not?! But what if I already have something similar? Ah ha, that is where when one matures in Christ, one knows. You will stop and not buy that item. Ok. This is a small item. Let us talk about bigger items. Like, cars and houses. To many in society, it is a measure of success. So, do we buy the best car and house we can afford or do we exercise discipline and patience and get something less stressful on our wallets and health? Contentment will teach you to get something very much within your salary range and live comfortable with it.
When we are contented, we start to realize that we are worth more than many sparrows not because of what we have or how much money we make, but by who we are in Christ. Theoretically we know the concept but it is entirely different in practical application. When one is truly contented, one realizes suddenly that a lot of doors are open. We are not confined to having to take up whatever job that earns us the most money, in conformity to this world. We are not bothered how the world looks at us and judge for themselves how successful we are, because we know we are simply successful based on the fact we are chosen by God to be His child and that beats any amount of money this world can offer (if talk about money, then Jesus must be really tempted to be offered the whole world but He even answered the whole world is not even worth the price of our soul! How worthless in comparison to eternity money is). We can finally live life with a passion, even for work. We are able not to be slaves to money, just to pay off our ever-rising demands, but instead we know how to spend wisely and have the additional option of getting a job we like more, though it pays less (new discovery for myself). This enables us to truly live to work and work to live!
Recently I have also been taught that contentment also means jamming the brake. I always have a desire- to provide my daughter with everything I do not have as a child. I even went to the point of calculating how successful in money making I must be in order to afford her university fees, buy her a car to drive to school, then how to buy a freehold property so if she cannot afford to own a place (given how the crazy property market is faring now and the lack of land space in Singapore), she will have a house to live in when I die… I think it sounds very noble to be planning so much for one’s loved one. But, alas, it is also a form of discontentment. I only realized it when my thoughts got out of hand late one night and I heard the still small voice which basically said that owning a house is my daughter’s life race and not mine!
When we are more and more mature in our area of contentment in our lives, we start to realize that this world wants to conform us into their image and when we do, we become discontented and have unhealthy desires. But there is normal desire that is harmless and those areas, God will bless us, His children, when we are ready. The difference in whether it is a worldly or godly-approved desire lies in our motives and attitude. When we are able to manage our expectations realistically, God, our heavenly Father, will long to satisfy us! Like the scriptures put it, if even our earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to us, how much more will our heavenly Father do so!
So yes, cell, go for it. If your desire is LV bag and you have the right attitude, go. (within budget, that is)
Zenn Tan
24th October 2009.
P/S. Augustine aptly writes that we should love:
a) the right thing
b) to the right degree
c) in the right way
d) with the right kind of love.
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