Content With Who You Are

Reading: Psalm 87; Matthew 5-7 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.” (Matthew 5:5 MSG) Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters Five through Seven is about living in the Kingdom of God. I’ve loved these chapters for years and I’m always eager to get to them again in my daily reading. Then when I read Jesus’ words, I’m overwhelmed again with the profound simplicity and challenging truth of what it means to be a Christ-follower. Reading these three chapters in one day’s reading is like watching an action movie on fast-forward or drinking from a fire hose. There’s a lifetime of learning here. Today my spirit grabbed and held on to one thought: “Be content with just who you are – no more, no less.” Jesus promised me that if I can do that – be content with just who I am – I’ll own everything that money can’t buy. Jesus said, “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are, not when you get to be who you always wished you could be.” Both Jesus and Paul said, “You’re blessed when you’re content with just what you have, not when you get all the stuff you’ve always wanted.” Who I am and what I have is a gift from God to me. Today I am thankful and I will be content that I am who I am and I have what I have. How about you? Shall we be content and thankful together? Pray this prayer with me… Prayer: Father, Today I thank you for just who I am, strengths and weaknesses, abilities and limitations, the good and the bad (and the ugly!). You made me who I am and you put me where I am and I thank you. You love me unconditionally because of who you are, and not because of what I have accomplished or even because of what I might someday be able to accomplish. I also thank you today for what I have. Others may have more or others may have less. I have what I have because you’ve given it to me. Help me to live today, content to be just who I am and where I am and with what I have – no more, no less. Thanks! Simply thanks. Amen.