admin1 Timothy 6 vs 6-8; “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
Sometime ago, I took a drive through a village that is close to where I stay. As I drove through the dust road I observed homesteads scattered on the side of the road, on both sides. As I slowed down to have a closer look, I saw the residents of the homesteads and they consisted of men, women, boys and girls of different ages.
What struck me the most was the expression on their faces. In this small, dusty village with not much in it, everyone looked so happy. They waved eagerly at my vehicle with big smiles on their faces. They seemed to be really happy. The homesteads were all similar, a hut or two with a decent structure in between, some crops, chickens running all over the place and the distinct presence of mango trees.
I stopped at one homestead, an old lady came out to greet us, she ushered us into her kitchen and was quick to offer us the little she had. She gave us some roasted peanuts and insisted that we stay a little longer while she prepared lunch; a meal made out of love, with her modest grain and one of the few chickens that were running all over the yard.
Happiness is an elusive emotion, but one that is readily available to many. As I thought about that experience, I realised that sometimes we go out of our way to be unhappy. For those with very little who are content and grateful for what their Maker has given them, happiness seems so easily available. The old woman was willing to share the little she had with her visitors and that would bring her a tremendous amount of joy in turn.
The apostle Paul preached the gospel of grace, mercy and peace, this was his standard greeting to all his churches. He generally wished this on everyone, including all of us who are reading his work today.
In our busy lives, we often find it difficult to be at peace, be happy and know that we are saved through grace. We on a high-speed train that we can’t get off from. We are so caught up in the material things that they have completely taken away our ability to find genuine pleasure. Take time to find peace; begin to do the little things that will slow down your life and allow you to appreciate your blessings a lot more. Be blessed.
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