Contentment My Friend

By Janet Perez Eckles 

My friend sat across from me at a table in our favorite restaurant.  “I hate you.” We both chuckled.  “I really do,” She said.  “Look at how much you eat and you never gain weight.  And me?  I look at a piece of chocolate and my hips grow.”  

What a silly friend I have.  She’s wrong; weight does come on me like anyone else.  But she made that comment so often, in fact, just about every time we dined together.  Then one day I said,” Tell you what, Rosie, why don’t we trade.  I give you my metabolism, and you give me your eyesight.”  

“Ha, ha.”  She slurped her Coke. 

I confessed too.  When I lost my sight, I wished to be like those who could see.  And exhaling a deep sigh, I longed for those moments to come back—when I could see the colors in a sunset, features in my little boys’ face, or the shape and hues of flowers in the garden.  And the temptation to envy starred at me like an ice cream cone waiting to be licked.  A bit of self-pity would taste good and tears would even enhance the experience.  

I wanted all that eyesight brings, and my friend wanted my metabolism.  Funny creatures aren’t we?  We want what others have, we covet what others possess.  We long to be like others.  Taking envy to a deeper green, we wonder about those who blatantly deny God’s existence …but yet, prosperity falls upon them like rain in a spring day.  “What’s with that, Lord!” your heart wants to complain.  

But He knows our human questions; His inbox is probably jammed with such queries.  Yet His answer comes by way of a request—He asks of us something hard to swallow, contradicts the call of the world, and goes totally against our human nature —He asks us to become humble, empty  of ourselves, and filled with a desire to obey.  And. then…comes the “therefore.”  

“And being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”  (Philippians 2:8).  

No more wondering why others have what you don’t.  No more coveting what you wish you had or more of what you already have.  In humility and gratitude just say, “Thank you, Jesus…you gave me enough manna for today.” 

The best cure for envy—whether it’s someone’s metabolism, success, physical attributes, or outward success is to welcome humility, get to know gratitude, and become good friends with contentment.

Janet Perez Eckles is an international speaker, writer and author of the inspirational book, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow—Overcoming Adversities in Life.  Her stories which appear in a dozen books including the Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guidepost books and numerous magazines, relate how adversity turned to triumph, to success and contagious joy.  HYPERLINK "http://www.janetperezeckles.com" www.janetperezeckles.com