More thoughts from Philippians 4 on what it means to be radically content. We have to laugh, to learn, and to lean.
We’re all trusting in something. We’re all relying on something. We’re all leaning on something.
You sit in your favorite chair because you believe it will hold you up. You lean your entire weight on the chair. You rely on it. You trust it.
When it comes to being content even in your financial need, where is your trust? Paul teaches us to lean on Jesus.
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, ESV).
This is a very famous verse that’s often ripped out of its context.
As a young baseball player, I’d sometimes, put 4:13 on the knob of my bat. And I’m pretty sure I was ripping the verse out of its context. If I’m brutally honest, what I really meant was “I can hit this pitcher’s fastball, slider, curve, and change-up through Christ who strengthens me.” But what if the pitcher had 4:13 written on his glove and what he meant was “I can strike that guy out through Christ who strengthens me”? Who does Jesus strengthen then?
I’m not saying that it’s necessarily bad for ballplayers to reference this verse. When Tim Tebow puts it on his eye-black, millions of people look up the verse on Google. And that’s a good thing!
But this passage is about contentment. The “all things” refers to Paul’s ability to deal maturely with adversity and prosperity. He’s saying, “In Christ’s strength, I can face any situation involving finances and still have a positive and victorious attitude. Christ gives me the strength to be content.”
We can’t be content in our own strength; we have to lean on Christ. We have to abide in Him.
To be radically content, laugh, learn, lean.
We’re all trusting in something. We’re all relying on something. We’re all leaning on something.
You sit in your favorite chair because you believe it will hold you up. You lean your entire weight on the chair. You rely on it. You trust it.
When it comes to being content even in your financial need, where is your trust? Paul teaches us to lean on Jesus.
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, ESV).
This is a very famous verse that’s often ripped out of its context.
As a young baseball player, I’d sometimes, put 4:13 on the knob of my bat. And I’m pretty sure I was ripping the verse out of its context. If I’m brutally honest, what I really meant was “I can hit this pitcher’s fastball, slider, curve, and change-up through Christ who strengthens me.” But what if the pitcher had 4:13 written on his glove and what he meant was “I can strike that guy out through Christ who strengthens me”? Who does Jesus strengthen then?
I’m not saying that it’s necessarily bad for ballplayers to reference this verse. When Tim Tebow puts it on his eye-black, millions of people look up the verse on Google. And that’s a good thing!
But this passage is about contentment. The “all things” refers to Paul’s ability to deal maturely with adversity and prosperity. He’s saying, “In Christ’s strength, I can face any situation involving finances and still have a positive and victorious attitude. Christ gives me the strength to be content.”
We can’t be content in our own strength; we have to lean on Christ. We have to abide in Him.
To be radically content, laugh, learn, lean.
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