The Art of Divine Contentment: An Exposition of Philippians 4:11 by Thomas Watson. Excerpt 77

Watson describes a contented Christian:

In a word, a contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the word, desires to be wholly at God’s disposal, and is willing to live in that sphere and climate where God has set him. And if at any time he hath been an instrument of doing noble and brave service in the public, he knows he is but a rational tool, a servant to authority, and is content to return to his former condition of life. Cincinnatus, after he had done worthily, and purchased to himself great fame in his dictatorship, did notwithstanding afterwards voluntary return to till and manure his four acres of ground: thus should it be with Christians, professing godliness with contentment, having served Mars, daring to offend Jupiter; lest otherwise they discover only to the world a brutish valour, being so untamed and head-strong, that when they had conquered others, yet they are not able to rule their own spirits.

Thomas Watson lived from 1620-1686, in England. He wrote several books which survive. This blog, God willing, will post excerpts from his The Art of Divine Contentment: An Exposition of Philippians 4:11, over a number of weeks, on Sundays.

My source for the text is here, and I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this text (and many others) available. The previous excerpt is here.
  
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. (World English Bible, public domain.)  

Should a Christian iron his clothes?

The title was almost "What would Jesus iron?" but that seems to come perilously close to a violation of the third Commandment, and there's too much of that already.

This is musing on the topic. Don't expect any firm, easy answers. Sorry. Similar musing could be applied to lots of other activities, such as, but not limited to: mowing the grass, washing the car, cleaning the windows, assorted grooming, vacuuming, weeding, painting, straightening the cupboards, getting the toys organized, sending Christmas cards, and even to doing an especially good job on homework. All of these are legitimate activities, but where should they fit in our priorities?

Test 1: Is there something more important to do?
In Luke 10, Jesus had some words for Martha: 10:38 It happened as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
41 Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (All scripture quotations are from the public domain World English Bible.)

We can't be sure of all that is going on here, because we weren't there, and couldn't have read anyone's minds, if we had been. But it seems that Martha had her priorities wrong. Jesus didn't say that it was wrong to fix a meal, but that there was something more important going on at the time. Perhaps He would have pitched in in the kitchen Himself, after He had talked to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Perhaps he would have performed a miracle, and fed them, and whoever else was around (probably a dozen or more disciples). Perhaps they would just have eaten later than they were accustomed to, or fasted through one mealtime.

It's always important to pray, witness, worship with others, and read the Bible. But if that's all we do, we won't keep a job, and our dwelling places, autos, and other possessions will suffer from neglect, and, perhaps, finally become unusable. At some point, Mary should have gone to the kitchen and helped. (Probably Lazarus should have, too.)

Test 2: Do we need to fit in?
In 1st Corinthians 9, Paul said this: 19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 

If everyone in our apartment complex keeps the front door and the back porch looking attractive, and is careful to park in her own parking spot, perhaps we need to, also, or our neighbors will think poorly of us, and may say, "Well, if that's the way a Christian acts, I don't want any of it." To a large extent, we should try to fit in, if we want to reach those around us with the Gospel.

Clearly, there are limits. We shouldn't steal from the grocery store, or go on alcoholic binges, so as to fit in with our unbelieving relatives, neighbors, fellow students, or co-workers who do such things.

Test 3: Is it beneath our position?
The apostles believed that they shouldn't be taking care of food distribution for the widows:
Acts 6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. 2 The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 6:4 But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

But see John 13:12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him. (World English Bible, public domain)

My guess is that the twelve weren't declining to "serve tables" because it was beneath them, but because they knew they had more important things to do, and others could serve in this way.

See also Philippians: 2:5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

By example, and by His explicit teaching, such as in Luke, Christ taught us that mowing the grass, washing the dishes, or changing the oil, for the sake of others, is not beneath us: Mark 9:33 He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”34 But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”

However, even with a Christ-like servant attitude, it may still be possible, as in Acts 7, that it is more important to be doing something other than serving.

Test 4: Is it a requirement for our job?
If what routine maintenance, or care in our appearance, we are doing is really required for our jobs, then we ought to do this maintenance, or be sure that we appear presentable. We should probably do standard grooming before going to work, in most cases. And most of us who are able should have a job. John the Baptist, who preached a strong message of repentance, didn't tell Roman soldiers to leave the army in Luke 3:14, but to use their position fairly, and to be content with their wages. Jesus didn't upbraid the apostles who had gone fishing after the resurrection, and tell them to stop immediately. As far as we know, they didn't remain fishermen for long, though. They truly became the "fishers of men" that Jesus had originally envisioned for them. (Matthew 4:19) That new job was one of higher priority than the old ones.

But note the next test:

Test 5: Are we doing this so we'll look good?
I may get fired if I don't wear clean shirts, or I may turn off people who need to see Christ in my life. But I don't have to wear $250 shirts, or send them to an expensive cleaners, to do either. I probably won't even need to iron them. I should probably paint the kitchen every few years, but I shouldn't need to paint it every six months. I should mow the grass, but I shouldn't be trying to out-do the neighbor across the street. Why am I trying to look good, or be thought well of? If it's for my own sake, that's wrong. If it's to please other people who aren't worth pleasing, that's wrong.

James had something to say about fancy dress:
2:1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in; 3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, “Sit here in a good place”; and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”; 4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called? 8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

Although Jesus didn't say anything explicit about ironing shirts, He had something to say about trying to look good:
Matthew 6:1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

And more:
Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

6. Is it hard on the environment?
It's impossible to completely keep from affecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil and living things around us. But we can be careful, and do as little damage as possible. Are we consuming more energy than we need? Ironing, and hair drying consume quite a bit. Are we using products that give off harmful chemicals? Are we destroying the habitat of other living things, directly or indirectly? See here for more on environmental stewardship.

7. Is it good use of the resources God has given me?
Should I be saving for my offspring, or contributing my time and resources to ministries to the poor, or to people in third-world cultures, rather than keeping my car washed and polished, or my lawn edged, or my wardrobe updated?

After answering all of the questions above, the Holy Spirit can help us know what Jesus would do. A couple of cautions are in order, though. First, it's much easier, in terms of effort, to spend a half hour meditating on the above questions, and at least pretending to pray, than it is to really get at that algebra homework, or the dirt on the windows. If we don't establish guidelines, and good habits, we'll be spending too much time musing about what to do. Second, we mustn't expect fellow believers to agree with us on all points. Their circumstances may be different, or the Holy Spirit may be leading them to act and think differently from us. God may want some of them to iron their shirts, when He doesn't seem to require that we do so.

Thanks for reading. Think about the appearance of your shirts!

Good Friday gap

The sermon I heard on Sunday used the Palm Sunday story from Luke, and also Philippians 2:5-11, as its basis. You would, of course, expect a Palm Sunday sermon on Palm Sunday.

But the speaker went past Palm Sunday. He pointed out that there is a gap between verses 8 and 9:

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (ESV. See here for more information on use.)

That gap is because verse 8 ends at Christ's death, on Good Friday, but verse 9 begins with His resurrection, on Easter morning. I hadn't looked at it like that before, but should have.

Thanks for reading.

Medical report

Thank you for your prayers, and concern, expressed or not.

My surgery seems to have been successful, thank God. I remain on limited blogging for now.

My wife has an extra burden. I'm not to lift anything "heavier than a teacup" for four weeks, and can't drive for over a week yet. So she's even more of a servant than usual. God bless her.

Thanks again.

Sunspots 194

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Science:
(or politics, perhaps) Wired reports on our nation's first inaugural address, which was surprisingly science-oriented.

Christianity:
He Lives has an introduction to church history.

Ken Schenck continues his series on the Bible as Christian Scripture.

Jan continues her excellent series on Leadership vs. Servanthood, by defining her terms.

Image source (public domain)

Abishag: Beauty contestant and bedwarmer

King David was old, and cold. So his servants looked for a woman to lie in the bed as a human bed warmer. Abishag was chosen for this task. I Kings 1:1 - 2:25 tells us all we are going to know about Abishag.
The servants did not look for the warmest young virgin. (They didn't look for a warm dog, or a warm male, either.) Instead of looking for a girl with a perpetual fever, or just hot skin, they looked for the most beautiful. Why? We don't know. The most likely explanation is that they were hoping that her beauty would arouse the King sexually, which, presumably, would have warmed him physically. If that was their motive, it didn't work. The Bible specifically says that David "had no intimate relations with her." (1:4) The second beauty contest in the Bible is described in Esther 2:1-18. A previous post is on a subject related to the winner of that contest.

Servanthood: sometimes humiliating
It is hard to imagine a more humiliating job. Lie in the bed with an old man, and warm him up. I doubt seriously that that was the life that Abishag imagined for herself, growing up in Shunem. David probably drooled, at least when asleep. He may have been incontinent. Maybe he snored. Perhaps he was hard of hearing. He probably didn't know much about the subjects that a young woman would have liked to discuss. Perhaps he droned on and on, to anyone who would listen, about killing Goliath, and told other stories from his days of glory, over and over. He was not the Old Testament version of the knight in shining armor that young women supposedly long for. The Bible doesn't say so, but it is possible that Abishag was required to remove some or all of her clothing, so as to be a more effective bedwarmer. However, the Bible says nothing about Abishag's reaction to all this, except that "she took care of the king and waited on him," (1:4) and "attended him" (1:15). It's hard to imagine a more striking example of servanthood.

Let's don't forget Jesus, the even more striking example. Whereas Abishag got promoted to the palace, He was temporarily demoted from creator and sustainer of the universe (Colossians 1:16-17) to a servant's role (Philippians 2:6-11). While God does not call us to do something that is not for our ultimate good, He has not promised that we won't be called to humble, perhaps even humiliating, duties. When accepted in good grace, as coming from Him, they can be the most rewarding ones.

Someone else's tool
David's son Adonijah was a proud man, who coveted the kingship. He had himself put forward as king in David's place, while David was still alive. (David had, with God's blessing, already selected Solomon as his successor.) So David was persuaded to have Solomon crowned before his death, and Adonijah's rebellion fell apart. The persuasion took place in David's bedroom, with Abishag standing by, taking care of David. Adonijah was not killed at the time.

After David passed away, Adonijah asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, to do him a favor. That was to ask her son, King Solomon, to give him Abishag as his wife. Had they fallen in love? Probably not. It's hard to believe that Adonijah spent much time in David's bedroom, or that Abishag had had much time for courtship. Adonijah had probably heard of Abishag's reputation, and perhaps seen her. (Was she at the funeral? Would a servant have been allowed there?) No doubt, becoming the wife of a son of David would have been a major step up for a servant who had served as a human bedwarmer, whether or not love was involved. At any rate, Solomon saw this as an attempt, on Adonijah's part, to assert himself, and had him killed. (Taking a deposed king's wives was a sign that you were taking the former king's place. See II Samuel 16:21)

So Abishag, a servant girl, was a witness to palace politics, and even part of palace politics, while she was just doing her job. Sometimes that, too, could happen to us. We don't like it when it happens. We like to be in control. Jesus wasn't always in control, either. He was obedient to his parents (Luke 2:51). Before that, it seems, He was absolutely dependent on them, like any other baby. We, too, can be pawns in someone else's game, not in control, but eventually triumph, so long as our own motives are to be Christ's humble servant.

We don't know what else may have happened to Abishag. Perhaps she married someone in Solomon's court. Perhaps she became one of Solomon's many wives. Perhaps she went back home to Shunem. I like to think that she is beautiful still, but has gone to where there are no beauty contests, to serve a Higher King. If so, my prayer is that I join her, and the host of others.

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November 24, 2008. I corrected one grammatical mistake, added links to the scripture used, added some tags, and added the line below to this post on this date.

Thanks for reading!

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On June 8, 2011, a kind friend referred me to an article, partly humorous, on Abishag in the Biblical Archaeology Review.

Hathach: Lessons from a Eunuch

"for such a time as this" was not spoken by Mordecai to Esther. Not really.

Here's the entire verse:
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this? Esther 4:14, KJV

Most people familiar with the Bible would know that the "thou" in this verse is Esther. I doubt seriously that many would answer correctly if asked "who said it to her?" They would probably answer "Mordecai." Mordecai was her guardian. Mordecai sent this message, but it was actually delivered by Hathach, a eunuch in Esther's service. Esther was in the harem in the palace, and Mordecai wouldn't have been allowed there. Esther, even though queen, was probably confined to the palace most of the time.

Communication
Hathach communicated someone else’s message, and he did it effectively. He didn't:
listen to something, or someone, else
put off telling her
leave out anything important
add to the message: make it his message, not Mordecai’s
say, “this is over and above my job”
think, “I have something more important to do”

He must have previously showed Esther that he was trustworthy.

Mordecai had a message, but he had to rely on someone else to deliver it. So does God. I need to be sure that I am an effective communicator, because God's message is important. Lives depend on it.

Commitment
Easton's Bible Dictionary, available through the Blueletter Bible, says that eunuch meant ". . . literally bed-keeper or chamberlain, and not necessarily in all cases one who was mutilated, although the practice of employing such mutilated persons in Oriental courts was common. Moses excluded them from the congregation (Deu 23:1)."

A eunuch was someone who had given up sex, or, rather, been deprived of his sexual powers.

Jesus pointed out that there were different categories of eunuchs:
For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from [their] mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive [it], let him receive [it]. (Matthew 19:12)

Giving up sex is a serious matter. Our society isn't in tune with that idea. The U. S. is now subsidizing drugs to cure erectile dysfunction through Medicare. (There are, of course, other things that we should give up, at times, not just sex. But I could hardly leave that idea out when writing about a eunuch!)

Jesus never asks us to give up something that is, really, good for us. Giving up something for Christ does not go unrewarded.

Isaiah had this to say:
For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 56:4-5)

Mark wrote:
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)

We may have to make serious commitments, in order to communicate the message effectively. If so, we will be rewarded.

There is a message that needs to be communicated effectively, passionately. It needs trusted, committed, messengers. I hope that I am one.

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The above was posted at 4:27 AM, EDT, Feb 11, more or less. My eldest daughter pointed out that I had not spelled Hathach's name consistently, so I am changing the title to correct this. Thanks to her. Thanks for reading.